A Promise
by lvrofreading
Summary: After Thor returns to Asgard, Jane Foster joins S.H.I.E.L.D to use her research to bring back her man. When Loki attacks a year later Jane refuses to go into hiding. She is determined to find the Tesseract, her only hope to ever see Thor again, from Loki's psychotic control. Story will go through The Avengers and onto Thor 2 but is mainly focused on Thor and Jane's relationship.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, this story will mainly cover The Avengers first movie but will continue on through Thor 2. I really wanted Jane to be in the Avengers movie so I am making her a big part of it in this story. Hope you enjoy and reviews are always appreciated.**

A Promise: Chapter 1

_When I ended my relationship with Donald Blake I thought that pain I experienced would be the worst of my life. I knew it was the right decision but that didn't make my love for him any less. He did not fight me which, thankfully, made it easier to leave him. His devotion to his patients did not extend to me and the apathy over our break up was the final push. I accepted a position in New Mexico, a chance to work on my research and recover from my broken heart in peace. I was able to join teams with my mentor, Dr. Eric Selvig, a man who taught me everything I know about astrophysics and who kept me together after my father died. He was there for me after Donald._

_He was there for me after Thor._

_The Thunder God from Asgard. The wielder of mjolnir. The man I hit with my car…twice. The man I have come to care for more than anyone I have ever known. And I only knew him for a few weeks. There was just something about him, besides the crazy; though maybe it was the crazy that first drew me to him. There was something different about him, something that drove me to find out more about him. We stayed up late those nights, talking about his world and mine and all the untold secrets of the universe. He was the answer to my research…He was the answer to my broken heart. His smile, his beautiful blue eyes…that voice! His shirtless chest came instantly to mind and I could not help the blush that tinged my cheeks. I still have the picture of it that Darcy managed to take when he wasn't looking. I was hooked from the moment I saw him lying on the ground after being pummeled by my van. For the first time in a long time I felt that spark that had been missing since Donald. _

_Then he left with a promise to return, for me. But that was almost a year ago. The pain of his absence had not lessened over the long days of burying myself in my work. Each night up I stare up at the stars and wonder if he is looking down on me, wishing he could be here as much as I want him here. _

_Sometimes I think I am losing my mind. I barely knew him and yet I am pining over him like some adolescent school girl. I can't help but wonder what is keeping him. Maybe…my feelings are one-sided._

_No. I stop from going down that road again. I walk into the gym and begin working on the exercises Natasha showed me. They have become a welcomed stress reliever and I am actually getting pretty good at hand-to-hand combat. Not that I'll ever need to use it; I am a scientist after all. My greatest weapon is my mind; but it's still a nice way to work off my frustration. _

_Surely he felt something for me too. He promised he would come back, just for me. I could feel the passion in his kiss, in the way he held me tight against him. _

_What if it was just my imagination?_

_I spin and land a heavy kick against the bag as hard as I can manage. The resounding thud is oddly satisfying. I push my doubts far down into my subconscious where it can only haunt me in my dreams. I will find him; I repeat my mantra over and over. My determination has not waned. I will not give up on him yet._

Across the room her phone rang. Jane Foster grabbed a towel and wiped her face before answering it.

"Hello?"

"Doctor Foster, we need you to return to Headquarters," her boss, Director Fury demanded from the other end. She was still trying to get used to working for him. S.H.I.E.L.D had given her leeway on her research but when Fury wanted something done, you were expected to do it, no questions asked. Jane just did not operate that way.

"You just sent me out here to keep working on the portal," she complained. "And now you want me to come back in? Could you please just make up your mind."

"The Tesseract has been taken," he responded, his voice packed with tension.

Jane's heart stopped beating momentarily. The Tesseract was her only hope of getting to Thor again.

"By who?" She whispered.

"Loki, from Asgard."

Jane collapsed into the nearest chair. Thor's brother, the one who had nearly killed him almost a year prior, had come to Earth and stolen the Tesseract from S.H.I.E.L.D, from her. This was not a coincidence.

"He has taken Dr. Selvig and several other agents with him. Loki has them under some sort of…spell."

She saw red at the Director's words. Her fingers curled and she itched to hit something. An indescribable rage filled her chest and she responded in a tight voice,

"I'm on my way."


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own The Avengers or Thor. This story is not a complete AU of the movie and will therefore have a great deal of lines taken directly from the movie. But I have changed and added and removed many different things. I welcome all input and suggestions. I hope you enjoy :)**

A Promise: Chapter 2

_The fifty mile drive was going a lot more smoothly than Jane thought it would. She had agreed to take a perfect stranger all the way out in the middle of the desert to find a "satellite" that he claimed belonged to him. They had already established that she found him strange though she was beginning to think that it wasn't a bad strange. She looked over at him again and smiled as her eyes followed the outline of his well muscled arms. Yes, definitely a good strange. _

"_So…" She started, trying to think of something to fill the awkward silence. "Why Thor?"_

_His eyes crinkled in confusion. "I'm sorry I don't understand."_

"_Why did your parents name you Thor?"_

_He hesitated for a moment before replying, "Why did yours name you Jane?"_

_She smiled to herself, maybe he was afraid she would find his answer strange as well so she decided to play along. _

"_It was my grandmother's name. She died when my father was very young. I was named in her honor, I guess." _

"_I am sorry for your loss," he responded sincerely. She looked into the deep blue depths of his gaze and felt herself growing lost in them. She forced herself to focus back on the road. _

"_I never knew her," she told him with a shrug. Thor did not speak for a long while, instead he watched the clouds floating by as they drove on._

"_Thor means thunder," he spoke softly, sadly. "It was supposed to be my legacy, passed down by my father."_

_For some reason she felt compelled to laugh. "Thor of thunder?" she giggled quietly. _

"_You do not like my name?" He sounded genuinely wounded, like he cared what she thought of him. _

"_No! I mean yes, I do! It's just not a…common name."_

_He nodded in understanding. "Tell me, what is a common man's name?" He asked in the boisterous tone she had grown used to hearing from him. _

"_John is a common name for a man," she informed him. "When we can't identify a man they would call him John Doe. If it's a woman it would be Jane Doe. I guess my name is pretty common too."_

_She caught Thor studying her out of the corner of her eye. She could not stop the blush forming under his unwavering gaze._

"_There is nothing common about you, Jane Foster."_

_She blushed even harder and giggled again. When did she become a giggler? _

"_Are you flirting with me?_

"_I am sorry, did I offend you?"_

"_No!" She replied, far too quickly than she probably should have and he laughed. "I don't mind," she said more quietly and calmly."_

_He gave her a charming smile and winked. "Good."_

* * *

Jane glanced out the window at the wild waves dancing around the battleship the helicopter was nearing. Jane tried to suppress the bubbling nausea rising in her stomach. She could already feel the seasickness overwhelming her and they weren't even on the ship yet. A finger lightly tapped her on the shoulder and she turned her uneasy gaze from the window. Steve Rogers sat next to her in the cramped seats of their transport. His eyes narrowed in concern.

"Are you alright, Dr. Foster?"

When Agent Coulson told her they had to pick up another passenger before heading to S.H.I.E.L.D's secret base, Jane did not realize he was talking about the Great Captain America. Her grandfather used to tell her stories about his time in World War 2 and about the American Hero who helped them win. Captain Rogers was a legend in her mind and she was almost as bad as Coulson who had chatted the ear off the Captain ever since they picked him up. Jane gave Steve a forced smile.

"I really hate water," she grumbled with only half seriousness.

"You hate water?" He asked in disbelief. "That must make showering difficult."

They both laughed and Steve scooted over, pretending to be offended by her smell.

"Just large amounts of water, Captain," Jane replied with an exaggerated huff.

"Don't worry, Doctor," Agent Coulson spoke from the co-pilot's chair. "We will be landing in a moment."

"Then I can spend God knows how many hours floating out on the ocean," was Jane's snarky reply. Coulson smiled.

"We won't be on the water long."

She and Steve both exchanged curious and skeptical looks but neither asked for clarification. The pilot landed the helicopter deftly and Jane hopped out as quickly as she could manage, dignity tossed aside. Steve chuckled as he followed closely behind her, carrying both of their bags. Jane thanked him and took her luggage before scanning the crowd for any sign of a familiar face. Natasha Romanoff strolled over to them, a bewildered man in business casual attire followed at a distance.

"Jane," the Russian spy greeted with a warm smile before extending a hand to the soldier. "Captain Rogers it's nice to finally meet you."

"Thank you, Ma'am," he replied politely in the typical southern drawl known to his character.

_So different from Thor's thick, heady tone._ Jane did not know where the thought had come from but she forced herself away from any memories of the thunder god and back to the conversation at hand.

"This is Doctor Bruce Banner." Natasha gestured to the dark haired man behind her. "This is Captain Rogers and Dr. Foster." Banner hesitated but eventually shook Steve's hand and then Jane's.

"Dr. Banner your research is just extraordinary," Jane gushed, honored to meet such a renowned scientist. "The results you were able to achieve were remarkable."

Bruce's cheeks turned a bright hue and he mumbled an embarrassed thank you.

"Word is you can help us find the Tesseract, Dr. Banner?" Steve asked. Bruce turned to regard him carefully, one eyebrow raised in speculation.

"Is that the only word on me?" Jane could hear the caution in his voice. She had heard about the radiation accident as well but she knew better than to mention it. She looked at Steve and waited for his answer.

"The only word that matters," Steve replied smoothly and Bruce immediately relaxed. Steve certainly had a way with people.

Natasha urged them all inside and Jane soon realized why. She approached one of the large windows on the bridge and watched as the ship began to extend itself; the ocean drained away the sides as four rotors appeared in each corner of the battleship.

"This thing flies?" She whispered to Coulson who only grinned wider. Within moments the ship lifted into the air and sped away, leaving smoking clouds in its wake. The bridge grew quiet as Director Fury strolled into the room.

"Reflection panels are engaged, Sir!" A petite, brunette named Hill reported. Fury nodded and walked over to shake hands with Steve briefly before moving on to Banner.

"Dr. Banner, thank you for helping us."

"Thank you for asking nicely," Bruce replied evenly. "How long will I be staying?"

"Once we find the Tesseract you are in the wind."

"Do you have any ideas where Loki might have taken it?" Jane asked as she approached the debriefing table. Fury's gaze was masked as he regarded her.

"None yet but we are hoping Dr. Banner will be able to narrow our search."

"We are sweeping every wirelessly accessible camera on the planet," Coulson informed the group. "If Loki is anywhere near one, we will find him."

"Well we better get started then," Jane stated and moved towards the door. "The longer we wait the more time Loki has to do whatever he has planned with the Tesseract."

Fury reached out and stopped her from going any farther.

"Dr. Banner can handle locating the Tesseract for us. We have another assignment for you."

Jane narrowed her eyes. "What assignment?"

"You will be continuing your research in one of our smaller facilities out west."

Jane balled up her fists and reeled in her temper.

"You want to send me into hiding?" She bit out through clenched teeth. Fury held up his hands in an effort to calm her.

"Think of it as a way to focus on your research without any distractions."

Jane folded her arms across her chest and glared at the Director. There was no way she was going to go into safety while Loki was running around with the Tesseract and using Eric for his evil deeds.

"I am not leaving," she stated confidently and fixed Fury with a challenging stare.

"And if I make it an order?" Fury asked, his stare unwavering from hers.

"I am a scientist not a soldier. I don't take orders."

Jane and Fury stood head to head, eye to eye, neither blinked. She knew challenging his authority, especially on the bridge of his ship was a bad idea but she wasn't going to give up. Loki had not only taken her mentor but he had stolen her only chance of finding Thor. She was not leaving now. Coulson stepped to her side and spoke softly,

"Given your…connections to other Asgardians, it might be best if you go into our protective custody. There is reason to believe that Dr. Selvig was not Loki's first choice in scientist."

Jane looked at the agent in surprise.

"You think he was after me?"

Fury and Coulson both nodded.

"He mentioned you specifically when he attacked the research facility," Fury explained. Jane shivered involuntarily at the thought of Loki coming after her. She knew he and Thor had their issues but she thought that had been dealt with after The Destroyer killed mortal Thor and spared the rest of the town. Jane never thought Loki would come after her. She just didn't think she mattered that much.

"Loki is a dangerous, immortal maniac," Fury stated. "We have already lost too many people trying to stop him. Don't risk your life unnecessarily."

Jane remained quiet for a moment, contemplating her choices. If Loki was truly after her than it may be better for her safety and everyone else's around hers to accept S.H.I.E.L.D's protection. She had seen the video feeds from Loki's attack at the research facility, he was dangerous and if he could turn brilliant men like Eric Selvig just by tapping him with a scepter, what chance did she have? But what if they couldn't find the Tesseract in time? She was radiation specialist but she was smart and she knew the Tesseract like the back of her hand. She could help and end this before things escalated even further.

"I appreciate your concern but I can handle myself."

"Even Barton couldn't stop him," Natasha reminded her quietly. Jane nodded to Natasha and gave her a sad smile. Natasha had never expressed her feelings for Clint in words but her actions always spoke louder. Losing Clint to Loki was tearing the young spy apart.

"I know and I'm sorry but that is exactly why I need to stay." Jane turned back to Fury and Coulson. "I know the Tesseract better than any of your scientists, even better than Eric. I can help Dr. Banner find it."

Fury stepped a little closer and lowered his voice for only her to hear.

"And if something happens to you I don't want another Asgardian banging on my doorstep demanding vengeance."

Jane smiled at the thought. Knowing Thor he would be doing more than demanding if something happened to her. If he still cared that is…

"I need to do this, Director. The Tesseract is one of my projects and Dr. Selvig is my closest friend, who wouldn't be in this situation if it wasn't for me. I have to do this," she knew she was pleading but she didn't care anymore. She was not going anywhere.

"I could really use the help with the search," Dr. Banner helpfully supplied. "She knows the Tesseract better than I do and can locate its signal much quicker once I can narrow a location down."

Jane flashed him a grateful smile. Fury remained silent for a long moment before looking over at Coulson and received a slight nod.

"Fine. You can stay Dr. Foster. But if something happens it's on your head not mine."

"Deal," she replied. "Alright Dr. Banner, let's get to work."


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed/fav/followed my story. Here is a little treat for being such great readers. I'm sorry its short but the next chapter should be up by tomorrow and it will have plenty of Thor ;)**

**Hope you enjoy!**

A Promise: Chapter 3

"That was Chicago." Jane pressed end on her cell phone and joined Bruce by the computer panel. "Their spectrometers haven't picked up any gamma radiation from the Tesseract."

Bruce sighed and rubbed his temples absently. He looked as tired as she felt. They had been working non-stop for the past two days but had made very little progress so far. He wanted to be off the flying battleship as much as she did.

"We can at least remove them from our search."

Banner pulled up a worldwide map and put an X through the Windy City. "Our search is narrowed," he chuckled.

"The world is a big place," Jane reminded him bitterly. The exhaustion was grating on her nerves.

"We will find the Tesseract, Jane," Bruce stated confidently, which surprised her. In the short two days she had gotten to know him, self-doubt was something he exuded in every waking moment. He wore it like a second skin. He checked his work over and over again and he checked his words and temper even more. Jane suspected his behavior had a lot to do with his "radiation accident" but she didn't think it was her place to ask. Instead she took some small comfort in his words and nodded.

She moved back over to her workspace and took another gulp of coffee. Wherever Loki had hidden the Tesseract, it was not coming up on their radar. Bruce's tracking algorithms were helping in their search and had narrowed the field considerably; it just wasn't enough. She pounded the desk in a fit of frustration and moved to rest her head in her hands. The Tesseract being stolen was not the only thing driving her crazy. Loki had managed to come to Earth, a year after Thor had left.

_How was he able to get here? _She thought. _More importantly, where is Thor?_

Jane plopped down into her chair and pulled her messy, brown hair into a ponytail. The stress was giving her a headache. She wanted to believe that there was a legitimate reason for Thor's disappearance; some reason why he had not returned when Loki did; with complete ease. He managed to open a portal through the Tesseract just like she had been struggling to do for the past year. If Loki could do it, why couldn't Thor?

In her limited free time Jane researched Old Norse myths for any information that could help her bring Thor back. Loki was known as the god of mischief and trickery. Surely the god of thunder and lightning was more powerful than Loki.

_Then why is Loki the only one who had come to Earth?_

Bruce cleared his throat and Jane spun around and looked at him expectantly.

"I uh, I was wondering what connection Coulson was talking about between you and Asgard?"

Jane raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Bruce stammered out, his face flushed in embarrassment. "I didn't mean to offend you."

Jane shook her head.

"You didn't offend me, I just thought you knew."

"I've been in Calcutta for almost two years," Bruce explained. "I didn't get outside gossip over there. I know you have been working a great deal on the Tesseract and I was just wondering why. You are an astrophysicist; working in a lab just doesn't seem like your idea of a good time."

Jane sighed and nodded on confirmation.

"Loki is not the first Asgardian to come to Earth. A year ago his brother Thor was exiled here from Asgard by his father and landed in New Mexico; where I hit him with my van."

Bruce chuckled but remained otherwise silent.

"Loki eventually sent a machine after Thor to kill him but Thor was able to stop the machine and returned to Asgard to deal with Loki." She paused before finishing sadly. "I haven't seen him since."

"You and Thor are…friends?" He asked delicately.

She blushed as the kiss she and Thor shared came to mind. Were they friends or something more?

"I don't know what we are," she replied. "I just want to bring him back."

"That's why you've been doing research on the Tesseract," Bruce stated and she nodded.

"It might be the only way to see him again."

Bruce's brow furrowed in thought.

"Loki was able to use the Tesseract from his side so maybe Thor can too."

She could only nod and they went back to work.

* * *

_The dark haired man laughed, his eyes danced on their own accord lighting up the darkness. She squinted against the sudden brightness as his face came further into view. His pale skin seemed to illuminate the whole of empty space. She did not recognize him but a sickening feeling told her that she knew him. She knew this was Loki._

_He slowly approached her and raised a hand to her face. She tried to scream but the sound never left her throat. A small blade appeared in her hand and she could not drop it. Her arms and legs began to move on their own accord, pushing her towards another unknown figure. She could not control her actions; it felt as she was a puppet and the laughing Loki, her master. She could only scream and beg with her mind but Loki could not hear her unspoken thoughts or just did not care. She quickly advanced on the clouded figure and a bright red cape appeared suddenly in the darkness. She knew Him the moment she saw him. She tried to open her mouth, to warn her thunder god, to plead for his help, but again the words never left her tongue. Her arms raised, blade in hand._

_No! Please no!_

_Thor raised his bare hands and moved closer to her._

"_Don't do this, Jane. Please stop. Fight it, Jane, fight it." _

_She wanted to cry but her face remained stone cold, all outside features hid the raging storm howling inside her. _

_Loki appeared at her side, Thor did not seem aware of his brother's presence. _

"_He cannot save you," Loki taunted. "He does not want to." _

_The evil brother raised his arm and she felt her arm move on its own. The blade glistened in the shadows and she was finally able to scream as the blade sank deep into her lover's heart. _

"NO!" Jane jerked up in her chair, her throat sore and dry as the shriek left her lips. A soft hand pulled away and another scream echoed hers. Jane opened her eyes to the sight of Natasha standing over her; eyes alit with concern, mouth wide in surprise.

They both stopped screaming long enough for Jane to suck in a fresh breath of air. The sweat that had perspired on her brow was now dripping down her cheeks. She looked around and quickly realized she had fallen asleep in the lab again. Her muscles ached from the awkward position in which she slept.

"Are you okay?" Natasha asked, her voice still slightly panted.

Jane nodded quickly, unwilling to discuss the disturbing nightmare or the effects of it she still felt on her heart.

"I just came to tell you that they found Loki in Stuttgart, Germany."

Jane jumped out of her chair and threw on her coat. Her heart was racing uncontrollably.

"What is he doing there?"

"I don't know but Rogers and I are about to head there now to go get him."

"Does he have the Tesseract with him?"

Natasha shook her head and led Jane down the corridor towards the bridge.

"I don't think so but don't worry. Once we get Loki we can make him tell us where it is."

Jane remained quiet for a moment. Loki's dream words echoed in her head. _He cannot save you. He does not want to. _She tugged on Natasha's arm and forced the woman to look at her.

"Be careful, Natasha. Loki may be crazy but he is a dangerous crazy. Don't trust whatever he says."

Natasha studied her carefully. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Jane tried to give her a reassuring smile. "I'm fine. Go get the bastard."


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry for the delay, this one took a while. Thank you to everyone who has been reading this story, it is encouraging to see so many people enjoying it. **

**A Promise: Chapter 4**

_He wanted to kiss her. He had only known her for a few short weeks but he was undeniably attracted to her. Jane was only mortal but no goddess in Asgard could compare to her Earthly beauty. She had a persistent sprit and a kind heart. Her humanity was one of the qualities that first drew her to him. Jane had taken him in and tried to help him when he had been nothing but an arrogant ass to her. She was his Midgardian Angel and he wanted only to remain with her held tight in his arms. But he had to leave her behind to face his murderous brother._

_He really wanted to kiss her goodbye. But he was unsure of her feelings towards him and he didn't want to rush her if she wasn't ready. Jane Foster was a woman to be honored and respected. _

_His friends called out to him, reminding him that the Bifrost was drawing near. With one arm he tightened his hold on her waist. With the other he took hold of her soft skin and was surprised to feel her fingers trembling in his palm. He brought the delicate hand slowly to his lips and pressed a soft kiss on her knuckles. He did not miss the tiny gasp she released at his touch. He smiled knowingly and grasped her hand even tighter. _

"_I will return," he promised, putting all of the feelings he could not yet express into his voice. "I give you my word." _

_She nodded absently, as if lost in a daze. He reluctantly began to pull away but she suddenly came to and fisted a hand in his undershirt, just barely visible over the top of his armor. She yanked him down with stunning force and crushed her mouth to his. He responded instantly, slanting his lips against hers. With one hand he cradled her face and the other remained tightly around her slender waist. He lost himself in her touch and decided that even Valhalla could not be this good. When they eventually parted for a desperate need to breathe, he leaned his forehead against her and met her eyes. _

"_I promise I will be back for you." And he meant it. She had buried her way irrevocably into his heart and he had no intentions of living the rest of his life without her._

"_Deal."_

* * *

The stars twinkled and danced in the midnight sky, as they did everyday in Asgard. But they were no comfort to him now. Thor leaned back against the cold stone wall as his eyes drifted to the outline of the city, clearly visible from one of the palace's many spires. It was his favorite place to be when he just wanted some time alone with his thoughts. And tonight, his thoughts were on the woman he had to leave behind, as they had been every night for the past year. Never in his life was he as miserable as he had been since leaving Earth. He missed the coffee and the pop tarts. He missed Darcy's jokes, missed drinking with Eric Selvig.

But his heart ached for only one person: Jane Foster.

Thor could not believe how much he could miss someone he barely knew. He could not think, he could not sleep, and he could not eat. Even battle had lost its luster. Instead he just sat in the same spot of the spire every night, lost in his memories of the brown eyed woman who had stolen his heart and was slowly taking his sanity as well.

Thor growled and ran a hand through his tussled blond hair. Saving Jotunheim by destroying the Bifrost had been the right decision but by doing so he lost his one connection to Jane. The urge to throw something overcame him and Mjolnir dropped from the sky and landed smoothly in his palm. He repeatedly threw the hammer as far as he could and it flew back to him every time. The throw itself was satisfying but it did little to alter his mood. The sound of a door opening behind him drew his attention and he dropped Mjolnir on the stone floor. Queen Frigga stepped onto the Spire's balcony, wrapping her cloak tightly around her shoulders to protect against the evening chill.

"I thought I might find you here." She smiled warmly and kissed his cheek in greeting. The matron queen still remained as lovely as she ever had but Thor could see the emotional wear in her eyes. His exile and then the loss of Loki upon his return weighed heavily upon her heart.

"I like it up here," he answered simply and turned his gaze back out to the sky.

"You miss her," his mother stated and he knew who she was talking about. He told her about Jane shortly after his return to Asgard and expected her reply to be similar to his father's. Instead she had supported him completely and even defended him when Odin went into his now constant rants about his heir's obsession with "that mortal girl."

"Have faith, My Son," she comforted and placed a hand on his arm. "You will see her again."

He shook his head. He had all but given up months ago. Asgardian engineers were working day and night on reconstructing the Bifrost but building the ancient bridge was proving to be a tougher challenge than any of them had expected. And Heimdall was sure to be growing tired of his daily pestering. At this rate he might make it back to Earth by the end of the current century. Jane would be…No he would not think about that. He could not lose her.

But what if she had already moved on?

"I gave her my word that I would come back to her." Thor met his mother's concerned gaze. "What if she thinks I have forgotten her?" He was ashamed to hear the desperation in his voice but being apart from Jane for so long was driving him mad.

Frigga smiled and shook her head.

"If Jane cares even half as much for you as you do for her then she will not give up on your return. You will find a way."

Thor was about to respond when a guard appeared in the doorway.

"Heimdall demands your presence, My Lord."

"Perhaps it is good news?" Frigga replied encouragingly.

Thor merely nodded and kissed his mother's cheek before riding his horse down to the remains of the former Bifrost. Heimdall stood with his back to all visitors but he didn't need to be looking to see them. The all knowing, all seeing, all hearing god did not greet Thor as he approached. The thunder god stood at his side for a long moment and waited patiently for an explanation to his summons. It was never wise to rush Heimdall. The words he finally used shook Thor to his core.

"You should know that your brother is alive."

"Loki survived?" Thor was incredulous. He looked down at the stormy waves below. There was no way anyone could survive the fall much less the brutal, unforgiving waters.

"He has gone to Midgard," was Heimdall's heavy reply. No explanation on Loki's survival, it was irrelevant. Hearing about Loki's destination worried Thor.

"For what purpose?"

"He intends to start a war against Midgard by using the Tesseract."

"He found the Tesseract? How is that possible, it has been lost to us for ages."

Heimdall frowned.

"The Midgardians found it a few years ago but I did not become aware of it until Loki activated it by opening a portal through it. What purpose the Midgardians had for it I do not know. But they were not aware of its true power until Loki arrived."

Thor breathed deeply, trying to release the anger instead of holding it in as he had done in his youth.

"I must go speak to my father," Thor turned and headed towards his stallion. He needed to convince the Allfather to help him return to Earth and stop Loki, before his adopted brother destroyed the realm he loved.

"There is something else," Heimdall spoke up after Thor had mounted his ride. Thor remained silent and looked at the god expectantly.

"Loki seeks your Jane Foster."

His heart stopped. If Loki so much as harmed a precious hair on her head…he would beat his brother into a stain on the floor.

"It would be wise if you hurry," Heimdall reminded and Thor raced back to the palace. He could not breathe; every thought was on Jane's safety. How could Loki do this to him? Had nearly killing him with the Destroyer not been enough? Thor did not understand what had caused his brother to betray him in such a way. They had their arguments and fights when they were children but Loki was…had been, his best friend. And now his brother and former friend was trying to harm the woman he cared for more than his own life.

Thor stormed past the guards and into the throne room where his father was talking with several members of his counsel.

"My son!" He greeted with hands out stretched. "I'm gad you have come." Odin motioned for Thor to come to him and the King's Counsel was dismissed.

"Father, I have very important information. Loki is alive and he has gone to Earth with intent to start a war against them. I must go down there and stop him!"

His father did not reply immediately. The Allfather took a heavy breath and sat down upon his throne. Thor remained midway on the steps watching his father carefully. This reaction was not the one he expected.

"Did Heimdall tell you this?" Odin asked. He did not even sound surprised.

Thor nodded slowly. "Did you already know?" He asked suspiciously.

"He thinks we should intervene," Odin stated, not answering Thor's question. But he did not need to; his silence on the subject was answer enough. The thunder god took a few steps higher.

"And you do not?" His rising anger seeped through his lips. How could his father hide this information from him?

Odin studied him for a long, tense moment.

"Tell me Son, what is the real reason you wish to help the Midgardians?"

Thor clenched his teeth, knowing exactly where his father was headed. It was a conversation and fight they had far too many times to count. Instead he decided to present the best argument he could.

"Loki is our mistake and our responsibility. The people of Earth do not deserve death because he escaped our punishment. We cannot let innocent people suffer for our failures."

"You cannot let your infatuation with a _mortal_ allow you to make rash decisions."

Thor growled and clenched his fists. Jane was in trouble and Earth was going to be attacked but his father wanted to quibble over Thor's affection for a mortal.

"Loki is a serious threat to not only Earth but us as well," Thor argued, his voice rising with each word. "If Loki wins on Earth he will take whatever army he created and turn them against us."

Odin frowned and cradled his forehead in his palm.

"I just want what is best for you, My Son. You must let her go."

Thor slammed his fist against the wall, leaving a large dent in its place.

"I will never let her go!" Thor hissed suddenly, furious. He had been careful since his return not to shout back at his father but the old man had gone too far. "And I will not let Loki take Earth from me!"

Odin sat back in surprise; the ferociousness of his son's outburst shocked him. He truly was concerned about that realm, even if his main focus was on the Foster woman.

The younger god sucked in a calming breath and leveled his apologetic gaze at the elderly King.

"Father, please. I must help them and Mjolnir cannot take me the full distance. I cannot get there without you." Thor was begging and he hated it but his pride had been tossed out the window the moment Heimdall told him Loki was after Jane. He would do whatever it took to get to her. Odin stood abruptly, taking off down the steps and motioned for Thor to follow him. The son followed his father closely, unsure of where they were headed.

"There is only one way to get you to Midgard," Odin informed him suddenly. "With the Bifrost gone I have been preparing for when this method would be needed."

The King led them to the armory and stopped at the far wall that once housed the Destroyer. The bars dissipated and Odin moved inside, Thor followed after a brief moment of hesitance.

They entered a dark room with only dimly lit torches along the ceiling. In the center laid a pool of crystal water. Thor walked over to it and looked down to see his reflection staring back. Odin pulled out his spear, Gungnir and aimed it at the water. The liquid began to rise and a spiced cloud filled the room.

"The only way to get you to Midgard is through Dark Energy," Odin explained.

Thor looked at him in shock. Dark Energy was powerful but transporting someone into a different realm took more Energy than should ever be used at once. If his father succeeded in getting him to Earth, he most likely would die from it.

"Father…" Thor began but he did not know what to say. He wanted to help Earth but not at the cost of his father's life.

Odin smiled sadly.

"It is the only way, My Son." The Allfather placed a warm hand on Thor's shoulder. "You are right about Loki. His actions are my fault and he must be stopped. I can get you to Midgard but…I cannot bring you back. You must use the Tesseract to return."

Odin walked back over to the pool and touched Gungnir to the water. Light shot up and lit the entirety of the room. Foreign carvings covered the walls but Thor only spared them a brief glance. His father was focusing deeply and his skin had already turned a deadly pale.

"Bring Loki back home where he can face justice for his crimes," Odin instructed before pushing all of the growing power out of his spear and into the wall. A blue wave of energy formed into a portal.

Thor looked back at his father as he advanced towards the portal. The King was growing weaker by the second.

"You will make a fine ruler, Son."

Thor did not have a chance to respond. He was sucked into the portal, speeding faster than time and light as he moved towards Earth.

_I am coming for you, Jane._


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the wait. This is a short chapter to tide you over; the next one will be posted soon. The reunion is near!**

**There is a lot of movie dialogue in here but this is my favorite part of the whole movie so I wanted to include it here. **

**Also a note for the next few chapters, I will be going off canon with a few of the characters and the movie but it should make sense. **

**A Promise Ch. 5**

_Thor shook his head to fling his wild blond bangs out of his sight. Sweat slipped down his brow and stung his eyes. He raised his wooden blade in a defensive stance against his opponent. Thor was tall for an eight year old and he was already far bulkier than many of the older boys he trained with. This was due to the extensive training his father put him through, raising him to be an able warrior and future king. His opponent was not as lucky._

_His brother Loki was only a year younger but he was several inches shorter. Where Thor was bulky and built, Loki was lean and sinewy. And his skill with the blade was considerably less. Loki had as much training as Thor but he naturally gravitated towards magic and misdirection at which he excelled but it did not help him much in a sword fight against his bigger brother. Loki rolled out of Thor's slash but not fast enough. The wooden blade tapped the black-haired boy on the back, tripping him to the floor. Thor moved in quickly and firmly placed the sword at his brother's throat and pressed enough just to borderline uncomfortable. Loki glared up at him for a moment before placing his hands in the surrender position. Thor removed the blade and reached down to help his brother up but Loki swatted his hand away. _

"_Well done," a deep voice boomed over the courtyard. Both boys spun around and watched as their father approached them. The king of Asgard placed a hand on each of their shoulders but spoke to Thor first. _

"_I am impressed by your growing abilities and strength. You will make a fine warrior one day."_

_Thor beamed from the hard won praise from his father. Odin turned to Loki and patted his shoulder. _

"_You have greatly improved, Loki. Don't give up on your training; your time will come."_

_Loki's brief smile turned into a thin line of disappointment and he shrugged off their father's embrace before running out of the courtyard. Odin called out to him but Loki would not return. _

_Thor sighed. "I'll get him," he told his father and left to chase after his brother. He found him in the place he expected him to be, gazing out at the glistening lake just outside of the palace grounds. Thor sat down next to Loki on the bridge overlooking the water. Neither spoke for a long time._

"_He was complimenting you," Thor said eventually. _

"_I will never be as good as you," Loki replied without looking at him. _

"_Not with weapons, no." Thor was often chastised for his bluntness but he believed honesty mattered more than worrying about hurting someone's feelings. When it came to combat he was far better than Loki and always would be. Mjolnir was his destiny, Loki could not change that. His brother glared at him fiercely, and Thor could see that he had hurt Loki deeply. He was far more perceptive than he let on. _

"_To Helheim with you," Loki swore and moved to stand but Thor stopped him. _

"_You may not be good with weapons but you are far stronger with magic than I." Thor pulled Loki back down to his side. "I cannot even conjure a basic spell but you can manipulate almost anything you wish."_

_Loki pretended to be disappointed but Thor could tell he was listening intently. He continued on. _

"_We have different abilities but that is what makes us such a great team."_

_Loki looked surprised. "We are a team?"_

"_Of course!" He clapped Loki on the back and stood up, gesturing dramatically. "One day, enemies will fall at our feet, overwhelmed by our greatness."_

"_Father would not like to hear such pride," Loki reminded him but laughed nonetheless. Thor sat back down and nudged Loki in the arm._

"_You are my best friend, Loki. I wouldn't want to go into battle without you."_

_His brother smiled and nudged back. _

"_You will never have to."_

* * *

Thor dropped into the atmosphere; Mjolnir was pointed straight ahead, leading him through the sky as the familiar comfort of lightning and thunder filled the space around him. His father had transported him right to the location Loki was supposed to be. A roaring ship sped fast beneath him and Thor had a feeling Loki would be on board. He dropped down onto the ship and used Mjolnir to fasten himself securely to it as the ship lurched from his sudden weight. He could hear the sound of a ramp lowering and he hopped down onto it.

A man in a red, metal suit stalked towards him, arms raised. Thor glanced around the ship quickly, noting his brother was strapped to a seat in shackles and Jane was nowhere to be found. He sighed in relief. Loki had been captured and Jane was safely away from him.

"Hey!" the metal man called out but did not get very far. Thor tossed Mjolnir at the man, with only enough force to knock him down. He did not want anyone else to die because of Loki. Thor retrieved Mjolnir and ripped Loki from his seat. His brother did not seem surprised to see him but his expression soon changed as Thor flung them both off the ship and into the slowly calming storm. Thor did not release his brother until they landed on a nearby terrain dominated by rocky hills and forests. He released Loki just before landing and the god of mischief fell on his back and skidded several feet on the rocky ground.

Thor waited for the dirt dust to settle before speaking.

"Where is the Tesseract?" He wanted to ask about Jane but since Loki did not have her, Thor did not want to remind his brother of her existence.

"I've missed you too," Loki laughed painfully.

Thor stormed over to Loki, fists curled in fury. "Do I look to be in a gaming mood?"

Loki placed his palms up in self defense.

"You should thank me," he reasoned. "How much Dark Energy did the Allfather have to conjure to bring you here, to your precious Earth?"

Thor's thoughts immediately went to his fragile father who could possibly be dead for sending him here. His father would want him to make peace with Loki, no matter what crimes he has committed.

"I thought you dead," Thor murmured after a long pause.

Loki stopped moving, pausing on the ground in mid seat.

"Did you mourn?"

"We all did," Thor answered honestly. "Our father…"

Loki shot up off the ground and moved within inches of his face.

"Your father," Loki hissed. "He told you my true parentage, did he not?"

"That does not matter, Loki," Thor argued. "We were raised together, we played together. We fought side by side. Do you remember none of that?"

Loki spun around, face contorted into a snarl.

"I remember living in the shadow of your greatness. I remember you tossing me into an abyss! I, who was, and should be, king!"

Thor could not believe what he was hearing. When had his brother conjured up these delusions of grandeur?

"So you take the world I love as recompense for your imagined slights? I will not allow it. The Earth is under my protection, Loki."

Loki laughed and Thor was shocked by the evilness of it.

"And you are doing a marvelous job. The humans slaughter each other in droves while you idly fret. I mean to rule them, as why should I not?"

"You think yourself above them?"

"Well, yes."

"Then you have missed the truth of ruling, brother. The throne would suit you ill."

Loki pushed past him angrily.

"I have grown in my exile, Odinson. You know not what I am capable of. I am a king!"

"Not here!" Thor exclaimed in frustration and gripped Loki's cloak. "You give up the Tesseract! You give up this poisonous dream!" He stopped momentarily and calmed himself. "You come back home."

Loki seemed almost to consider it and Thor felt his hopes rising. He could see that there was still some goodness in his brother, some shred of empathy and love. Then Loki shook his head and Thor's heart sank.

"I don't have it." Thor released Loki in frustration and with an outstretched hand he summoned Mjolnir and pushed it threateningly in Loki's face. His brother stepped back; a flash of fear crossed his face but quickly disappeared into a smile. "I have sent it off I know not where."

"You listen well brother-"

A red metal blur impacted with his shoulder and grasped his arm, carrying him off to the forest floor not far away. Thor was released before they landed and he rolled for several feet. He groaned at the impact and stood shakily to his feet, his temper struggling for control. The same metal suit that had been on the ship stood a short distance away. His mask flipped up and Thor could see a rugged, brown-eyed man underneath. Thor leveled a glare at the intruder.

"Do not touch me again," he demanded, voice low and dangerous.

"Then don't take my stuff," came the snarky, childish reply.

"You have no idea what you are dealing with," Thor bit out in frustration. The strange man looked over his shoulder to the ledge where Loki was perched, watching with great interest.

"Uh, Shakespeare in the park?" The man took on a dramatic pose. "Doth mother know you wear-eth her drapes?"

Thor did not know who this Shakespeare was but he knew when he was being mocked. He would give the stranger one last chance to leave.

"This is beyond you, Metal Man. Loki will face Asgardian justice."

Metal Man did not want to relent.

"If he gives up the cube he is all yours. Until then, stay out of my way."

The mask flipped down once more and he bent his knees, arms opened and ready. It was to be a fight then. Thor began swinging Mjolnir, preparing for flight but before he could take off Metal Man shot a fiery burst of energy straight into Thor's chest. He was sent flying into a large tree trunk. His chest burned for a long moment but he pushed the pain from his mind and lunged at the armored man just as he came flying towards him. They ended up several miles from Loki's ledge, now completely surrounded by towering trees. They continued to fight and Thor was gaining the upper hand. While the Metal Man had more than a few surprises up his sleeve, he was no match for the thunder god. The pitiful human even head butted him and Thor returned it in kind, sending the man to the ground. He lifted Mjolnir and prepared to strike but was interrupted by a flying sphere interjecting itself in between him and the Metal Man.

"Enough!"

Thor looked up to see another man, covered head to toe in a blue and red skin, tight suit. He had never seen armor like it. This man's aura radiated confidence and strength. Thor respected him immediately.

"Now I don't know what you plan on doing here…"

"I have come to put an end to Loki's schemes," Thor interrupted. He wanted them both to know that he was only after Loki and not trying to cause trouble with anyone else.

"Then prove it," the new stranger said. "Put that hammer down."

That pissed him off. He was not the bad guy here. Metal Man knew right away that was not going to happen.

"No no bad call. He really loves his-"

Thor did not give him a chance to finish his statement before knocking him in the chest with Mjolnir, sending him flying a good distance away. He turned his angry gaze back towards the confident stranger. He had grown tired of the interruptions and intruders; he just wanted to stop Loki.

"You want me to put the hammer down?" His father would be urging him to reign in his childish temper and not let anger influence his actions but he could not help it. He leapt into the air, Mjolnir raised over his head. The soldier bent down and held the shield over his body. Mjolnir impacted with the shield and the resounding energy pushed them all back to the ground. The soldier was the first one to stand, quickly followed by Thor and Metal Man. They surveyed the damage in silence. The soldier spoke first.

"Are we good here?" He directed his question towards Thor who only nodded in silence. "Good, my name is Captain Steve Rogers." The soldier held out his hand and Thor stared at it expectantly. After an awkward pause Rogers lowered it.

"I am Thor, Prince of Asgard and brother of Loki."

Metal Man and Rogers exchanged a surprised look and red suited man looked at him with a sly grin plastered on his mask free face.

"Would you happen to know a Jane Foster?"

Thor stepped towards him in delighted surprise.

"Yes, do you know where she is? I must see her."

Rogers studied him for a long, uncomfortable moment before nodding slowly.

"We need to get the Tesseract back from Loki. If you help us then we will take you to Jane."

Thor nodded enthusiastically. "You have a deal."

* * *

**Thank you to all of my readers, you guys are the best!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry it's short guys but I really just wanted to focus on their reunion for this chapter. The next one should be way longer and will probably not be posted until later next week but I promise it will be worth the wait. Fear not, their will be much more fluffiness and angst to come! As always, you guys are great and I really appreciate the reviews/favs/follows. Hope you enjoy :)**

**A Promise Ch. 6**

Loki had finally been captured and Jane should have been happy about that but she had been on edge ever since. He did not have the Tesseract with him and probably had no intention of telling anyone where it was. She didn't know why he let himself get caught but she didn't trust him and her nerves would not settle until this was over. Alarms blared through the hallway, signaling the arrival of the newest S.H.I.E.L.D prisoner. She could hear the sound of a dozen footsteps pounding down the hall. She didn't know what possessed her but she ran to the laboratory door and flung it wide open. She had to see him; the man who had haunted her sleep with endless nightmares every time she closed her eyes; the man who was probably responsible for Thor's disappearance. She had to know. She just had to know.

Jane stepped out into the hallway, effectively halting the procession of armored guards leading their prisoner away. The black haired man in iron shackles met her gaze and his lips contorted into an arrogant smile. Jane stepped closer to Loki, ignoring the warnings from the guards.

"What have you done to Dr. Selvig?" She asked, barely maintaining the strength in her voice. His green eyes narrowed and his smile turned evil.

"So you are _the woman_." He tilted his head to study her more closely. Jane didn't know what he meant and chose to ignore his comment.

"Where is the Tesseract, Loki?"

He shook his head and the smile was quickly replaced by a snarl.

"I don't know what my brother saw in you."

Jane froze at his words and she had to choke back the bile of anger rising in her throat. He was trying to bait her but she would not give him the satisfaction. She could feel Bruce Banner step up behind her and she took comfort in his presence. When she did not respond, Loki pressed again.

"Perhaps he merely wanted a Midgardian plaything to _occupy_ him while he was here."

Her fingers curled up into fists and the muscles in her arms strained for release. Loki dipped his head so only she could hear his words.

"Did you actually believe he cared for you? That you were anything more to him than a distraction? You are a fool," he whispered, his voice a painful chill settling in her soul.

Jane felt her heart slowly breaking apart. She didn't want to believe him; she wanted to pretend that everything he was saying had not crossed her mind every single day since Thor left. But she could not let Loki win; she would not let him know he was tearing her apart.

"I have no reason to believe you," she returned evenly, allowing her anger at Loki to fuel the confidence in her voice that she did not feel.

"You don't have too," he replied. "It's been over a year, has it not? And yet I am the only one to return to Earth. If he wanted to come back…he would have."

She fought the onslaught of tears that threatened to flood her senses. He was a sick bastard and she wanted nothing more than to rip him apart. He would not stop.

"Do not believe, for a moment, that he gave a single thought to you once he returned to Asgard."

His green eyes danced in delight and she lost the battle with her rage. Her palm collided with his cheek with a resounding, scorching clap. The guards tensed, waiting for Loki to retaliate. Jane's chest heaved form the exertion and weight of her wild temper. Loki slowly turned his head back to her; a bright red hand print decorated his face. She expected him to be enraged, furious, but he met her glare with a smug smile.

"He will not rescue you," Loki said, his voice almost sweet. "And when I leave here, I will do the same to you that I did to Selvig."

Jane resisted the urge to slap him again. Barely.

"I am _not_ afraid of you," she hissed through clenched teeth.

"You will be," Loki returned and lunged towards her. She stepped back in shock and felt Bruce wrap a hand around her arm.

"Get him out of here!" Bruce commanded the guards after seeing the stricken look on her face. The guards hauled a laughing Loki away but Jane could not watch. Her eyes lowered to the floor and she hugged her arms around herself tightly.

"Don't listen to him." Bruce patted her on the back. "He's a psychopath."

"But what if he's right?" She barely recognized her own shattered whisper. She brought her gaze to Bruce's concerned one. She could not take the pity she saw reflected in his eyes and clasped her face with her hands.

"I am such a fool."

"Loki is a master manipulator and a liar," a loud, accented voice boomed down the corridor.

Jane and Bruce turned to see Natasha and Steve standing on either side of a tall, muscular man with long blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Jane gasped in surprise and took a step closer to her Thunder God.

"The Bifrost was destroyed by Loki upon my return to Asgard. Had I any other way, I would have come to you sooner."

Her heart beat rapidly in her chest, the blood humming through her veins pounded in her head. _He is here. He is here. He is here. _Her body sang with delight and disbelief. How didn't matter or why now. He was here and the only thing she wanted was to run to him but she couldn't move, she was paralyzed by doubt. Thor took a step forward and she grew weak. He slowly moved towards her and her head felt light and dizzy. After a year nothing had changed. She was still crazy about him and it occurred to her that she always would be; time and distance would never lessen her feelings for him. He was _gorgeous_; all muscles and perfection. She ignored the others slowly leaving the hall. She absently nodded at Bruce as he silently checked to make sure she would be okay. He followed Natasha and Steve, effectively leaving the would-be lovers alone.

They were separated by only a few feet but for Jane it felt like an eternity before he was finally inches away. She wanted to hug him, kiss him, slap him for making her wait so long, but she could not do anything except stare up into his soul sucking eyes. She watched as he reached down and took one of her trembling hands in his. He brought the delicate skin up to his face and pressed his full lips upon it.

"I have spent every waking moment aching for you," he whispered causing a blush to spread like fire across her cheeks. His voice, so low and deep, his touch so tender with underlying passion, sent a trail of tears streaming down her cheeks.

She had missed him _so much. _

He reached up with his free hand and wiped away the tears with his calloused thumb. She wanted to say something, anything but words escaped her.

"I felt such an intense joy at every thought of you but it was replaced by the agony of being so far away from you."

"Thor…" she finally managed to pass his whispered name through her lips."I did not think you would ever come back."

"I made you a promise and I never break my word."

She shook her head, unable to form a coherent thought. He really was here.

"I've missed you like crazy, Jane."

Hearing the Earth spoken phrase from him brought her to all loss of control. Instead of replying she fisted her fingers in his hair and dragged his lips down to hers. They met with a bruising force, all pent up passion and pain coming through every slide, every glide of lips and tongue. His arms circled around her, crushing her to his armored chest, inciting the instant feeling of protection that she felt the few times he held her. She was so much tinier than him and that fact thrilled her more than she ever thought possible. He gently propelled them against the wall and pressed even harder into her, not breaking the kiss. His hands tightened around her waist and it was only the desperate need to breathe that caused them to tear their lips away; but his grip remained firmly in place. Jane lowered her eyes, flushed by his intense gaze and she rested her head on his chest, listening to the faintly heard, but pounding beat of his heart. She felt him press a soft kiss to her hair and reveled in the contented sigh he released.

"Don't ever leave for that long again," she demanded. "Deal?"

"Deal."


	7. Chapter 7

**Wow, I did not expect to have this finished so quickly but I had some free time today so I got right to work :)**

**There is a lot of movie dialogue in this chapter but I felt that it was necessary to the story. I also changed a significant part to the story, so let me know what you think; you'll know it when you see it.**

**Thank you guys for continuing to read this story! Hope you enjoy :)**

**A Promise Ch. 7**

Only a few minutes after reuniting with Thor they were both asked to come to the bridge for a debriefing. Jane and Thor walked hand in hand, his insistence, to meet with the rest of the team. All eyes were on them as they entered the room and she could not contain the blush that covered her cheek at the glances towards their conjoined hands. She looked up at Thor to gauge his reaction but he didn't seem to notice. He gave her an affectionate smile and allowed her to lead him to the table. She was unsure of where they stood, as a couple or not. She cared about him and he cared for her but they had never had the opportunity to talk about it.

_Maybe later, _she thought with a sigh. Jane took a seat towards the end of the table and gestured for Thor to sit next to her but he shook his head no and instead moved behind her chair and placed his hands on her shoulder. She found the action affectionate even if it was a little possessive. He was claiming her and she was surprised how much she loved it.

Natasha, Steve and Bruce were already there, quietly chatting amongst themselves, and from the looks she was getting, they were talking about her confrontation about Loki. She shivered involuntarily at the unwanted reminder of Thor's evil brother. He was not only haunting her sleep but now he was threatening her in real life. She wanted nothing more than to put a bullet in his head and be done with him but she had to get Eric back first.

Silence fell over the bridge as everyone listened to Fury's conversation with Loki. It was clear that Loki had something planned but no one could figure out what, and it wasn't very likely that he was going to tell them what it was much less where the Tesseract was hidden. When Fury left the cell area the feed was shut off and silence remained the dominant sound in the room until Bruce finally spoke up.

"He really grows on you doesn't he?"

"Loki is going to drag this out," Steve spoke what everyone was already thinking. "Thor, what's his play?"

Jane looked over her shoulder at Thor and noticed how much he seemed to have aged. Not that he looked any older than he did a year before but he had matured, grown wiser in their time apart. She was seeing it in his words, his stance and especially his attitude.

"He has an army called the Chitauri and he means to lead them against your people. They will win him the Earth, in return, I suspect, for the Tesseract."

Steve looked dubious. "An army? From outer space? That's great."

Bruce clapped the pen he was fidgeting with against his hand, drawing attention back to him.

"So he's building another portal. That's what he needs Eric Selvig for."

Thor gripped her shoulders tightly. "He wasn't after Selvig. Eric was just the only one he could take." She felt every pair of eyes at the table fall on her. Fury was right; Loki had been after her originally.

"I want to know why Loki let us take him," Steve cut back in. "He's not leading an army from here."

"I don't think we should be focusing on Loki," Bruce argued. "That guy's brain is like a bag full of cats. You saw what he did to Jane. You can smell the crazy on him."

"Have care how you speak." Thor's voice grew low in warning. "He is beyond reason but he is still of Asgard, and my brother."

"He killed eighty people in two days," Natasha informed him, her tone bitter.

"He's adopted."

"I think it's about the mechanics. Iridium, what do they need that for?" Bruce asked.

Jane finally spoke up. "Iridium is a stabilizing agent. Eric and I thought about using it when we were trying to open a portal at the other base. Iridium should keep the portal from collapsing."

"She is exactly right," a new voice spoke up and Jane turned her head to see Tony Stark walking toward them.

"Janie!" He called out with arms spread wide.

"Oh my God," she moaned and rolled her eyes. "I thought S.H.I.E.L.D banned you?"

Tony's grin spread as he walked over to her and Thor.

"Is that anyway to greet your favorite cousin?"

Thor grunted in surprise and Steve sat up straight in his chair.

"He is your cousin?" Steve asked her. She nodded reluctantly.

"It is not something I advertise."

"I don't blame you," the Captain laughed with her. Tony had moved on to Thor and tapped the god on the bicep.

"No hard feelings Point Break. You've got a mean swing." He looked from Thor to her and then winked in her direction. "If I had known you were her boyfriend I would have gone easier on you."

Jane found it amusing that Tony could even think he had a chance of defeating Thor. He always had entertained extravagant delusions of grandeur. Thor, to his credit, did not look offended. He even smiled at her older cousin and swatted him on the back, just hard enough to sting.

"If I had known you were her cousin I would have hit you harder."

Tony nodded and looked back down at her.

"So Janie, you went from brains to bulk." He leaned down closer and gave her a conspiratorial but loud whisper. "Are you not worried about the sex getting boring?"

"Tony!" She hissed, mortified by his audacity and made a move to hit him but Thor was already going towards him.

"Down boy," Tony said as he raised his hands in the air. "I was only teasing. I like you better than Darrel anyways."

"It was Donald," Jane interjected, supremely annoyed.

"Whatever," Tony replied and continued walking around the table towards the main controls. "With the Iridium the portal can stay open as long as wide and as long as Loki needs it to."

Jane watched him as he looked form one console to the other before turning to Fury's assistant.

"How does Fury see these things?"

"He turns," was her irritated reply.

"Really? Sounds exhausting."

Anyone else would have missed it but Jane knew her cousin better than anyone else. She knew his tricks and she saw when he placed something to the hardware of the console. Most likely it was a bug. She inwardly groaned and silently swore to kick his ass if he got caught. Fury already didn't like him and she did not want him getting them all kicked off the ship. Not before Eric and the Tesseract were found.

"The rest of the raw materials, Agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily. The only major component he still needs is a power source of high energy density." Tony returned to the table and engaged the watching glances. "Something to kick start the cube."

They all looked at him in surprise.

"What?" He asked and looked at each team member. "It's in the packet; Janie and Selvig's notes, the extraction theory papers. Am I the only one who did the reading?"

Steve rolled his eyes and asked Tony with barely contained frustration, "Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?"

"He would have to heat the cube to one hundred twenty million Kelvin just to break through the coulomb barrier," Bruce pointed out.

"Unless Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunneling effect," Tony interjected.

"Well if he could do that he could achieve ion fusion at any reactor on the planet."

Tony walked over to Bruce and shook his hand.

"Finally, someone who speaks English."

"Is that what just happened?" Steve asked no in particular. Jane smiled at him apologetically. Her cousin was infuriating even when nothing life threatening was going on. Tony introduced himself and told Bruce how much he liked the green rage monster. Before Jane could chastise him for his lack of tact, Director Fury walked in.

"Dr. Banner is only here to track down the cube. I was hoping you might join him and Dr. Foster in their search."

"Sure thing," Tony answered. "Shall we go play, Doctor?" He turned back around and extended a hand towards Jane. "Coming Princess-Consort?"

Jane stood up and moved out of her seat, itching to get close enough to smack him.

"Hey, do you remember when I was nine and I kicked your ass?" She taunted.

Tony looked miffed.

"That was an unfair fight," he stated with surety.

"How is that?"

"My father taught me not to fight midgets."

Jane huffed and pushed him in the back.

"Like you are one to talk, Frodo," Jane retorted and then turned around, waiting for Thor to follow. Fury held up his hand and stopped Thor form moving.

"I need to speak with our guest about the newest resident of cell block mental," Fury informed her. At the annoyed look on her face he added, "I will have someone escort him to the lab when we are done."

"Fine," Jane huffed and turned her attention back to Tony. "I need to have a word with my cousin anyways." She grasped him by his ear lobe and dragged him out of the room, following a short distance behind Bruce.

"Hey!" Tony whined. "Ow, ear, I need that."

Once they were far enough from being over heard Jane slapped him across the back of the head.

"You bugged their system!" She accused. Tony scowled and rubbed his now aching head.

"Gathering intelligence, it is what I do."

"Snooping is what you do," she retorted and poked him in the chest.

"I know what I am doing," he assured her but she snorted in disbelief.

"Oh I highly doubt that but I can't stop you now. You better not screw this up, Tony. Eric is still missing."

"Relax Janie; I know how much he means to you. I will keep my spying to a minimum." He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and they continued walking towards the lab. "Now tell me about Thor…"

* * *

It was several hours after the meeting and the sky was now a thick, midnight black as the battleship floated above the clouds. Thor was amazed by how far the humans had progressed. Though Asgard was still more advanced than Earth, the mortals were sparing no expense in trying to catch up. He tore his head from the window and tried to focus his attention back to whatever the son of Coul was rambling about. His gaze drifted to the breathtaking woman walking beside him. Jane nodded absently every now and then but it was clear she was not paying attention either; not that she needed to, she already knew where everything was on the ship. He, on the other hand, was too enraptured with her beauty to worry about the tour. He reached out to run a finger down the smooth expanse of her sleeveless arm. Her skin prickled under his touch. He did it again, this time slower and he chuckled quietly at the blushing reaction he elicited from her.

Jane looked up at him, her lips formed into a reproving line but her luscious brown eyes sparkled in delight. He was ready for the tour to be over. They had not but five minutes earlier to be alone and it was driving him mad to be so near to her and not be able to hold her.

"And these are the dormitories," Coulson informed him and gestured down the hall. The S.H.I.E.L.D agent glanced between him and Jane and then shifted his eyes away.

"Will, uh, you need your own room?" He stumbled on his question directed towards Thor. He didn't know how to respond. He wanted nothing more than to stay with Jane but he would not push anything on her. Thankfully she answered for him.

"That won't be necessary," she rushed out with pink tinged cheeks and then realized she hadn't checked with him first. "If that is okay with you?"

His grin widened and he nodded in affirmation.

"Okay." Coulson shifted on his feet and cleared his throat. "Well I will see you both in the morning." He bid them goodnight and sped out of the hall. Once they were alone Thor started to speak but Jane placed a soft finger to his mouth and took his hand. She led them down the hall and he followed obediently until she stopped at one of the white doors. She pressed a few buttons on a box attached to the door and it slid away, allowing them entrance. She tugged him inside and the door closed behind him. He stood in the doorway watching as she began to fuss about the room, moving this object and that.

"I'm sorry it's such a mess," she apologized while moving a pile of clothing off of the bed. "I've been spending most of my time in the lab-"

"Jane!" He called out in a soothing voice and grasped her forearm. He pulled her flush against him and soothed down the flyaway tendrils of her hair.

"I care about none of that," he told her and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I only want to spend time with you."

He was startled by her reaction. Jane began to shake in his arms and the sobs that escaped her broke his heart.

"I'm sorry," she choked out between soft cries. "It's been a horrible year. I've missed you so much."

He pulled her over to the bed and released her briefly, long enough for him to extend his arms and shed his armor. He sat down on the bed and pulled her back into his arms, rocking her gently.

"First I lost you and then Eric." Her cries had subsided and there was only a slight sniffle here and there. "And now Loki is after me." She looked up at him and smiled apologetically. He hated seeing her so vulnerable, so afraid, all because of his brother. All because of the trouble he brought with him in his exile. "I'm sorry. I am normally stronger than this."

He placed two fingers under her chin and tilted her face up.

"You are the strongest person I know," he assured her. "I have never met a braver nor kinder soul."

She murmured a quiet thank you but he could tell that she did not believe him.

"You have not lost me, Jane. I am here and I will not let any harm come to you; from Loki or anyone else. You will always be under my protection."

"But what if-"

He silenced her protests with a soft kiss. She sighed under his touch and he deepened the kiss by threading a hand through her hair to hold her in place. After a long, blissful moment he pulled away, unwilling to move too fast, or push her too far. There would be time for that later. He wanted to talk to her first, about what they felt towards each other but after she yawned into her hand he knew tonight would not be the night for that.

"I'm so glad you are back," she whispered into his black shirt and snuggled closer into his body.

"So am I," he replied. They remained entwined in each other for the rest of the night as they talked about their year apart. Jane drifted off to sleep and Thor followed, feeling contented peace for the first time since he left New Mexico.

The peace did not last long however. Thor was jilted awake several hours later by a dreaming Jane thrashing about in his arms. She was mumbling incoherently and sweat glistened on her brow.

"Jane," he whispered as he stroked her cheek. She was cold to the touch and she flinched away from his contact.

"No, please," she moaned in obvious agony. He shook her gently trying to wake her from whatever nightmare possessed her.

"Thor!" She screeched and her eyes flew open. She nearly jumped off the bed upon seeing him and he was shocked by the pure fear etched into her beautiful face; and by the foreign blue haze that briefly covered her eyes.

"Jane, it is alright," he soothed. "I am here. I am here."

She shook her head and her eyes returned to their normal brown as she plopped down onto the bed with a groan.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"Are you okay?" He asked and moved closer, placing a hand on her back. The haunting vision of those eyes would not leave his mind.

"I'm fine," she replied, shaking off his concern. "It was just a bad dream."

"What was it about?" H gently prodded, hoping to find some way to comfort her. She looked truly shaken.

"I can't remember." It was a lie and he knew it but he would not push her.

"Perhaps you are worrying too much over the situation with Loki."

He saw it, the quick strike of fear upon her face at the mention of Loki's name. It passed as quickly as it came and she shrugged indifferently.

"That might be it."

Jane rolled onto her side and scooted closer to him. He wrapped his arms back around her, trying to hide the bubbling of anger rising in his chest. He knew who was responsible for her dreams and he had a feeling his brother was playing a bigger part than simply causing her to worry. Loki's ability to mentally manipulate people was renowned. The blue in her eyes resembled the Tesseract and that scared the life out of him.

He waited until she fell asleep once more before untangling himself from her hold. Thor crept out of the room and made his way towards the cell area. Thankfully he had been paying attention to that part when Coulson was showing him around. He walked into the room and left the lights off. Loki was in the center of the cage, sitting on the floor with his legs crossed at the ankles. He had his back to Thor but Loki knew he was there.

"Sleep well brother?"

"I know it is you," Thor told him. But of course the mischievous god feigned ignorance.

"I do not understand."

"No more games, Loki!" Thor stormed up to the cage and peered down at his brother in unadulterated fury. "You will cease your _attacks _against her!"

Loki stood and approached Thor so that the only thing standing between them was impenetrable glass.

"My, but you are taken with her," he taunted. "The Allfather must be very disappointed with you."

"I will not rise to your bait, Loki. Leave her alone," he growled.

"What kind of king would you be if you let a _mortal _affect you so? You are pathetic."

Thor ignored Loki's taunts and instead focused on the madness of his behavior. Everything was just a game to him. The loss of innocent lives was funny to him.

"What have I done to you, Loki?" He whispered. "Why have you betrayed me so?"

"I was the king!" Loki pounded his fist on the glass, startling Thor. The god of thunder narrowed his eyes and leaned in closer.

"You will never be king," he taunted with finality and then turned his back to leave.

"You will never have Jane," Loki returned, his voice dripping with hate. Thor stopped walking but he did not look back. He had never felt such despite for his brother as he did now. But Loki was an antagonizer who thrived off of riling him up. He did not answer Loki's claim but he swore that from now on, Jane would never leave his sight.


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry for the delay, I hope the fluff makes up for it. I love, love, love all of the reviews and favs/follows! You guys are just so awesome. And to highlander348, the time will come :) I hope you enjoy!**

**Oh side note: I did not realize I was spelling Erik's name wrong, my apologies. **

**A Promise Ch. 8**

"_Who is this?" Thor held up a tiny frame that contained something skin to a portrait of Jane and another man. Darcy called them pictures, a realistic capture of a person without the use of paint. Thor had decided to look around whilst Jane and Darcy were working. His curiosity got the better of him and he ended up in Jane's bedroom; snooping about her things. He was fascinated by the all the odds and ends that she had lying around; things he never would have found in a goddess's bedroom. Not that he had been in many of those… He wandered into her closet, moving from garment to garment when he found the frame nestled between two small boxes containing strange-looking shoes. The man in the picture was a good head taller than Jane with light brown hair and hazel eyes. Thor looked down at the arms encircled around Jane's waist and an unrecognizable anxiety settled in the pit of his stomach. His heart clenched up and he immediately went off to find his hostess, ignoring the fact that he had been going through her things and she might not appreciate that._

_He found them in the lab area. Jane was leaning over Darcy as she sat at a desk looking over some star chart or another. Jane had been trying to compare her recovered research to the information Thor had given her a few nights before. He walked over to them and held up the frame._

"_Who is this man?" Thor asked, surprised by the bite his voice had taken on its own. Jane looked over at him and her brow furrowed in confusion. She took the frame from him to study its contents. _

"_This is my ex, Donald," Jane told him."It was taken right after I received my doctorate."_

_Thor looked down at the picture and then back at Jane, noticing the faraway look in her eyes. The foreign feeling rose again and his next words came out bitter._

"_You look very happy."_

_She nodded softly and gave him a sad smile. _

"_I was, but it never lasted long." She shrugged and looked back at the picture. "His work always mattered more than me."_

"_Then he was a fool," Thor spoke the words before his mind could register what he was saying. He was about to apologize but she blushed and smiled up at him, brown eyes so deep and captivating. _

"_Thank you, I appreciate that," she replied then a thought struck her. "Where did you find this?"_

_It was his turn to be embarrassed. _

"_It was in your room," he stammered."I was wandering around. I'm sorry; I should not have invaded your privacy."_

_She shook her head and patted his arm._

"_No, I am glad you found this." _

_She took the picture and tossed it into a nearby can. He could not deny the smug satisfaction that came from seeing the reminder of her former lover so easily thrown away, but that had not been his intention. He must have looked surprised because she added,_

"_That part of my life is over with. I am ready to move on."_

_The smile she gave him broke through the foreign emotion he now recognized as jealousy. He had never been jealous before but it was something that came so natural to him when it came to Jane. But her smile, it was just for him. Donald was gone, no longer a threat. As he watched her return to work, a new thought crossed his mind, one he was determined to see come to fruition._

_One day she will be mine. _

* * *

_Two days after Thor's return._

"Good, you've got it. Now, kick!" Natasha instructed. Jane twisted her thigh the way the spy had shown her and her shin collided with the back of Natasha's knee. A perfect hit. The young agent went down to the ground on bended knees. Jane moved in, placing a hand parallel to Natasha's neck. If her opponent tried to fight back, Jane could land a crippling blow to the back of Natasha's head before the spy could strike her back. Natasha laughed and held up her hands.

"You win."

Jane helped her friend to her feet and spun around suddenly at the sound of the clapping. Thor stood in the doorway, his smile and eyes were alit with pride. He walked over to her and kissed Jane on the cheek. Natasha disappeared into the locker room.

"You are a natural, Jane."

She tried to shrug the compliment off but glowed nonetheless from the praise.

"I have a good teacher," Jane replied.

"That you do," Thor agreed. "And I am grateful that she is teaching you how to defend yourself."

Jane laughed and accepted a towel from the returned Natasha.

"Just because I am a woman does not mean I always have to be a damsel in distress."

Thor reached out and caressed her cheek.

"Oh but I do find such great joy in rescuing you."

Jane snorted and swatted his hand away playfully.

"Is there any word from Loki?" Natasha asked after taking a huge gulp of water. Thor shook his head sadly.  
"None I am afraid. He is resistant to every method I have tried."

Jane noticed the sullen look that crossed over his eyes. When he wasn't with her, Thor had been spending the past two days since his arrival working alongside Fury in "interrogating" Loki for the Tesseract's location. Jane knew it was hurting Thor more than he cared to admit. Loki was a criminal but he was still Thor's brother.

"I'm beginning to think this is all part of his master plan," Jane commented. The others looked at her expectantly. "Think about it: he lets himself get captured so all of our focus is on him and not on finding the Tesseract. By the time he finally talks it will be too late."

Thor nodded slowly and Natasha rubbed her temple in thought.

"You may be right," Natasha replied before turning to Thor. "Do you mind if I take a crack at him?"

"Be my guest," Thor answered.

Natasha smiled her thanks and picked up her gym bag.

"I will wait until the morning; he will be suspicious if I go in there after you and Fury have had your turn."

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Jane asked her friend in genuine concern. Loki was as closed mouth about Barton's location as he was about the Tesseract's. Natasha patted Jane on the arm and nodded.

"I will be just fine," she answered. "I have to do this; it's what I am good at."

She waved goodbye to the couple and left the gym. As soon as she was gone Thor enveloped Jane in tight embrace.

"I don't like being apart from you," he murmured.

"It's only been two hours," Jane laughed and buried her head in his unarmored chest. "Talk about clingy."

He did not reply so she looked up at him and was startled by the fear the passed over his eyes, quickly hidden from her. What did he have to be afraid of? Ever since the nightmare she had in the first night of his return, he had been insistent that she remain by his side. Not that she was complaining but it was odd for him.

_Does he know I keep dreaming about Loki? _

Surely not. Thor was a god but that didn't make him a mind reader. Jane shrugged and decided not to over think it. He was here and that was all she cared about. If he wanted to keep her with him, she was not going to argue.

"Well fun time is over," Jane picked up her own bag and slung it over her shoulder. "I have to get back to the lab. Care to join me?"

Thor bent down and kissed her. "I would love to."

* * *

He loved watching her work. She would scrunch up her nose whenever she was focused on a really difficult problem. He had noticed it a year ago whenever he would accompany her and Erik to the lab. He found the habit adorable then. It was painfully arousing now. He watched as she bit her bottom lip ever so slightly, her chest rose at a quicker pace…Thor jerked his head way from her tantalizing view and back to the confounded machine he was supposed to be focusing on. His heart was racing and nothing he did could stop the flow of blood igniting all of his senses. He shook his head to clear it but behind even closed eyes her teasing smile and tempting eyes haunted him. In Asgard he thought that he had experienced torture being apart from her. It was nothing compared to the agony of being so close now.

He wanted her. Truly and completely wanted her. And from her behavior he was certain she wanted him to. But he still could do nothing about it. Thor had walked down this road before, far too many times. He was tired of meaningless affairs with women he did not care for. He had sworn long ago that the next woman he was with would be the last. He wanted it to be Jane. They had known each other for very long, but that did not matter to him. Never had he been so captivated by a woman before. She held his heart in her hand and he would give up anything to have her in his life.

_I very well may have to if Father does not accept her._

Thor knew his father's feelings on Jane but now that he was finally with her again, he would gladly incur the wrath of the Allfather if that meant he could keep her by his side.

He spared another glance at the holder of his heart and sighed. He needed to tell her how he felt but he was…afraid. What if she did not feel the same? What if he scared her away?

"Hey Muscles! Come tell me more about this stick."

Thor spun around to see Tony Stark gesturing for Thor to join him by the table hold Loki's scepter. Thor groaned but eventually moved over to the table. Upon arrival he glared down at Tony for interrupting his thoughts, even if the man didn't know he was doing that.

"It is not of Asgardian make and its power is directly connected to the Tesseract," Thor bit out in annoyance. "That is all I know; we have been over this before."

Tony did not respond, instead he held up a finger and looked over at Jane.

"Janie, Fury wanted to see you up on the bridge."

Jane glanced at her cousin in obvious suspicion.

"Why wouldn't he comm. me about it?"

Tony shrugged. "How should I know? Don't want to keep him waiting though."

Jane stared at him for a moment longer before rolling her eyes and headed for the door. Tony did not lower his hand until he had checked and made sure she was gone.

"I don't want to talk about the glow stick," Tony informed him, though Thor had already guessed as much. He was surprised by the real reason however. "What are your intentions towards Janie?"

Thor creased his brow in confusion. "I'm sorry?"

Tony crossed his arms and fixed Thor with his most challenging stare.

"Don't play dumb, Brad Pitt. We all know you aren't going to be here forever. Eventually we will get the Tesseract back and you and brother batty will be returning to Asgard. Leaving Jane alone. Again. Am I right?"

Thor did not want to give him the satisfaction of answer, not that he needed to. The statement, as painful as it was, had been the truth.

"I will have to bring Loki back to Asgard," Thor admitted. "But that does not mean I will not return to Earth."

Tony snorted. "Like last time?" Thor flinched from the sting of Tony's remark. "How many years will it be between this visit?"

The guilt was overwhelming and it made him incredibly angry.

"That was not intentional," he stated through clenched teeth.

"Intentional or not, Jane was devastated after you left. She was so upset that even I noticed and I don't notice much or so Pepper tells me." He poked Thor in the chest with a single finger. "I don't think Jane could handle another disappearance."

Thor was stunned by the actual emotion Tony was displaying. The apathetic, selfish man-child had a heart after all.

"I swear to you that Jane means more to me than anything in the universe," Thor placed a hand over his heart solemnly. "I never meant to hurt her and I will do everything in my power to keep that from happening again. I truly care for her."

"Then do something about it. Don't just disappear again."

Thor nodded his understanding. "This time will be different, I swear it."

Tony dipped his head. "Good but just so you know, if you break her heart again, I will not hesitate to put a hole through your immortality."

* * *

_The Next Morning_

Jane stretched lazily and opened her eyes to the wondrous sight of a shirtless Thor cuddled up next to her. She sighed contently and scooted closer to his warmth. She placed a tender kiss to his neck and watched as he stirred momentarily but did not wake. Jane frowned in disappointment and tried another kiss. Still no response. She poked him gently in the ribs and he flinched and a small smile finally graced his handsome features. His eyes, however, remained firmly shut. Jane poked him again and he squirmed away. So he was ticklish. Jane ran her fingers up and down his side, putting pressure onto his sensitive skin. He laughed loudly and scooted away.

"Let me sleep, Woman!"

Jane giggled and followed him to the other side of the bed, relentlessly pursuing her ticklish victim. She caught up with him and began her attack but he moved quickly and took hold of her hands before pinning them over her head. She stopped laughing, suddenly breathless from the nearness of their lips and the firm feeling of his body lying halfway over hers. He looked into her eyes as her heart caught in her throat, an unreadable expression on his face before he swooped down and pressed his lips passionately against hers, his soft tongue attacked her pliant one. She moaned softly and thread her fingers through his hair, pulling his body tighter against hers. Her body moved of its own accord and she unintentionally found herself grinding against his hips. A year before she would have thought this was moving too fast but right now making love to him seemed like the most natural thing in the world. He let out a soft groan and pulled away suddenly. His hair was mussed and his breathing was erotically uneven.

"I need to tell you something," He panted.

"Can't it wait?" Jane asked and placed a hand around his neck and drug him back down to kiss him again. He relented for a brief moment before growling and pulled away again.

"No. I must say this…while I still hold the courage."

Jane sat up instantly, fear flooded her system.

"Oh that sounds bad," she murmured meekly.

Thor shook his head and placed a finger to her mouth to silence her. Jane tried to quiet her racing mind as she watched him take a steadying breath.

"I know that my leaving hurt you in the past. I wish for nothing more than to go back in time and change that but I cannot. I can only hope that you will give me the chance to make it up to you."

She tried to speak but he pressed his finger again to her lips.

"Let me finish first." He paused momentarily and closed his eyes. When he opened them again she was overwhelmed by the intensity and…emotion in them. "Jane, you must know how much you mean to me; how much I care for you. Nothing in Asgard nor in any realm compares to you."

"Thor…" she whispered, all of her feelings bound to his name.

He placed a tender hand to her cheek and leaned in closely.

"I want you to know…Jane, I lo-"

A loud beep startled them both. Jane looked over at her phone and if looks could kill then whoever had just interrupted them would be a pile of ash.

Thor started to reach for it but Jane pushed his hand away.

"Just ignore it. Now what were you saying?"

The phone beeped again but Jane refused to look at it.

"You were saying?"

"Jane…" Thor gently chided and she growled.

"Fine." She reached for the phone. "What do you want?"

Tony was on the other end. Typical.

"You need to come down to the lab," he answered, all trace of humor had evaporated from his tone. But it did not register with her right away.

"I'm in the middle of something," she snapped.

"Now, Jane!" Tony barked and hung up. Jane blinked in surprise. Tony never shouted at her.

"Ass," she mumbled under her breath and Thor chuckled. He moved off of the bed and pulled his undershirt over his head.

"We better go meet him."

"He can wait," Jane replied moodily. Thor bent down and kissed her forehead.

"It sounded important."

Jane sighed and got off the bed. She picked up her clothes from the dresser and moved to the bathroom to dress in private.

"Tony thinks everything he has to say is important." She pulled on her shirt and peeked out of the bathroom. "Can't you at least finish your sentence?"

"Later," Thor answered with a wink.

She smoothed out her hair and joined him by the doorway.

"Why do you have to be so sensible?"

He laughed and her ears rung with the heavenly sound.

"Before I met you, not even my enemies would dare offer such an insult." His broad smile was all the assurance she needed to know he was only teasing her. "Now I am secretly called things like reasonable and mature. I blame you."

Jane leaned against the door frame and offered her most coy smile.

"Some might look at my bed partner and say that sensibility was never a trait that I possessed."

Thor leaned in closer and smirked.

"And what would you tell such naysayers?"

Jane stood on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear, earning herself a thorough and heavy kiss.

"I don't give a damn."


	9. Chapter 9

**I got this done as soon as possible, an extra special treat for my wonderful readers, sorry it's not very long. Beware, sadness and angst ahead. Let me know what you think :)**

**A Promise: ch. 9**

"_Loki is after the hulk," came the announcement to the team from Natasha's interrogation with Loki. Jane and Thor exchanged a concerned glance and rushed the rest of the way to the lab. When they stepped inside Tony immediately ushered Jane over to the table. She was shocked by the somber manner of her normally fun seeking cousin. Beside the table stood Bruce and Steve with faces tight and arms crossed._

"_Did you know about this?" Tony asked and gestured toward a large gun lying on the lab table. _

_Jane shook her head._

"_What the hell is that?" _

"_Apparently S.H.I.E.L.D has been using the Tesseract to make weapons," Steve explained. "I found this while I was…exploring."_

_Jane could barely contain the instantaneous rage she felt at his statement. _

"_Are you kidding me?"_

"_Did you know?" Tony asked again._

"_No, of course not!" Jane exclaimed. "I was brought here to study the Tesseract and its transporting abilities. Not to build guns for S.H.I.E.L.D."_

_Fury and Natasha walked into the lab and Fury was ready for a fight. Tony's bug had been discovered and the director was furious. It was not but minutes later that the crew erupted into a torrent of insults and harsh words. Tempers flared and one could not tell who was arguing and who was defending harmful actions that could not be understood by those who do not know war. The verbal fight soon feel into silence as Bruce Banner stood center stage, scepter in hand. Thor pushed Jane securely behind him and held out his hand, ready to summon Mjolnir at a moment's notice. She peered around his shoulder to watch Bruce struggle to breathe. His hands shook and he looked from person to person, from each hand that covered a ready weapon. Bruce's gaze finally landed on her and his eyes drowned with a sorrow she could never understand. They stayed in that silent connection for a long moment until a beep from the nearby console startled them all. _

"_Sorry kids, I guess you don't get to see my party trick." Bruce set the scepter down gently and disembarked from the group to check his alert. Tony moved to join him._

"_That can't be right," Tony murmured. Right before the explosion._

It had not taken her long to figure out what had happened. Loki's troops were everywhere, leaving death in their smoking trail. Jane had lost sight of Thor after she had fallen through the floor and landed a level above Natasha and Bruce. She shivered involuntarily at the image of Bruce's rage-filled transformation. She watched as her new friend disappeared and a mindless beast replaced him. Jane wanted to help, to try and talk back the man that was trapped inside, but Natasha screamed at her to leave. She hated leaving the young spy to face the monster alone but Jane knew she was not trained enough for such a dangerous task. But there was something she could do. Jane reloaded her pistol and headed to the cell area.

Jane crept up slowly, keeping her footsteps light like Natasha had taught. Her heart thumped rapidly, threatening to burst out of her chest but still she could not breathe. She had arrived at the cell area unnoticed only to find Thor trapped inside Loki's one time cage with Loki taunting him on the outside.

Loki was still unaware of her presence and she moved closer, praying she remained undetected. Jane reached for the pistol at her waist when she noticed Thor's gaze on her. His eyes widened in fear. Too late. Loki had noticed as well. He spun around at the same time she raised her weapon to his head. Loki's lips quirked up in a malicious smile.

"Hello, Jane." He slowly raised his hands.

"Move away from the console, Loki!" She ordered and stepped closer to him. Her arms shook from raw nerves but she was proud of herself for keeping the gun and her voice steady. Loki shook his head and stayed in his current position.

"You cannot stop me, Jane," Loki informed her. His green irises sparked in mania and his voice turned dark. "If you surrender I will let you live."

"I think you misunderstand, Loki. I am the one pointing the gun at you."

He did not have a chance to answer. An explosion rocked the cell area sending Jane flying off her feet. She landed hard on her back, the wind completely knocked out of her lungs. Her ears buzzed from the explosion but she could vaguely hear Thor shouting her name. She sat up, ignoring the screaming protest of her muscles and reached for her weapon. Four armed men ducked through the hole created by the explosion. Jane recognized them as Loki's turned allies. She did not want to shoot them as they had once been good men of S.H.I.E.L.D but she had no choice. Jane aimed and dropped all four men within moments. Smoke now covered the entirety of the cell area and Jane was blinded to Loki's new location. She spun about, frantically, coughing and waving smoke out of her face. She could not see a thing.

"Jane, move!" Thor shouted and Jane turned to see a barely visible Loki charging at her with his scepter in hand. Jane dodged out of the way, just missing the deadly blade at the tip on the scepter. Jane rolled a few feet before hopping off the ground and dropped into a fighting stance. Loki growled and charged again nut Jane was waiting for him. She recited the lessons silently that Natasha had given her and time slowed as Loki drew near. He swung his scepter at her head but she ducked and kicked out, hitting him straight in the knee. He dropped the scepter and cried out in pain. Jane kicked the weapon out of his reach just as he grasped her arm and yanked her down. They both jumped off the floor and Jane swung her fist aiming for his face but he caught her swing and knocked her away. She rushed at him and this time his fist collided with her jaw and she fell to the floor, dizzy with pain. Her view was blurred but she could see Loki's shadow bending down to pick up his scepter. She shook her head to clear her gaze but was overwhelmed by the searing pain from Loki's blow. She saw him turn and point his weapon at the cage Thor was trapped in. If he fired the weapon Thor would probably die in the resulting explosion.

"No," she tried to scream but it came out more as a muffled moan. She slowly stood shakily to her feet and moved as fast as she could manage towards Loki, intending to tackle him away from Thor. Before she could reach him he suddenly faded away, completely disappeared, catching her by surprise.

"What the hell?" She shouted and looked around.

His laugh echoed behind her.

She spun and found herself mere centimeters away from the poisonous tip of the Tesseract's scepter. She glanced up from the tip to meet Loki's sinister glare. His teeth showed through as his lips curved up.

"You have lost, Jane."

Thor banged on the glass of the cage and Jane looked over at him, pained by the distraught expression on his face.

"Leave her alone, Loki! This battle is between you and me."

Loki craned his head and snarled.

"You are in no position to make demands."

"I am begging you, Loki. Please don't hurt her." The pain in his voice rang through her soul.

Loki laughed.

"I am not going to hurt her." He returned his sights to her. "I am going to show her the Truth."

Jane shook her head and managed a whisper.

"You don't have to do this."

"Oh but I do," he reasoned. "My brother has always gotten whatever he wanted. But he will not have you."

Thor banged on the glass in fury.

"I swear to you, Loki, if you do this…I will end you," Thor threatened, his voice deep and dangerous.

Loki did not care to heed him.

"Say goodbye, Thor."

Jane looked over at the cage and caught eyes with the wonderful man she had fallen for. His blue depths drowned in tears as a single wet trail slid down his bronzed skin. She ached to hold him, one last time. Jane pictured the feeling of safety she always had whenever in his arms. She held that feeling tight; it would be with her always, no matter what Loki did to her.

"Jane…," he whispered and palmed one hand against the glass.

Jane's lips turned into a sad smile.

"I love you," she said, her voice watery and sincere. His eyes widened first in delight and then in rage. Loki did not give him a chance to respond in kind. The last thing Jane heard was Thor's agonizing scream as Loki touched the tip to her chest. The world faded to black and a foreign coldness washed over her. She could no longer feel her limbs. She could not control her actions. Jane had been locked inside a box in a tiny part of her mind and Loki had the rest of her.

"Come, Jane, we have work to do." Loki waved his hand forward and Jane felt her legs begin to move. She screamed, but her mouth did not work. It was her nightmare come to life. Her body dutifully followed her new master; like a puppet attached to chains. She willed her head to turn. It moved slowly, painfully towards Thor. He raged against the glass, screaming curses at his brother. A sharp, unbearable pain struck her brain like an ice pick, punishing her for her willfulness against the master, the Tesseract.

Loki stopped at the console and without a second look, pressed the button and released Thor's prison into the atmosphere. Inside, Jane cried.


	10. Chapter 10

**So when I imagine how it feels to be mind controlled I pictured it to be similar to the man in the tunnels in Mass Effect 1 who was trying to fight against the Thorian. **

**Im sorry this is another short chapter, just a little in-betweener to prepare for the big battle. Thank you for reading/reviewing/fav/following!**

**PS:I hope I did not upset anyone with the last chapter. I know that Jane getting captured is not exactly what some had in mind but there is a reason to it I promise. I always have happy endings. **

**A Promise: Ch. 10**

The impenetrable glass prison dropped with frightening speed, a fragile thunder god was tossed about inside. There were no corners for him to get a grip on and Mjolnir did little damage to the glass. Thor caught the fast approaching ground out of the corner of his eye. Time was up. He gripped his hammer tightly and pressed down on one side, his sights set on his escape. He swung Mjolnir with all his might and they sped off, smoothly breaking through his glass confinement. Only moments before the cage shattered into millions of fatal pieces. Thor landed with a bouncing thud and continued to roll across the grassy planes. He finally stopped rolling and lay on his aching back. He opened his eyes and his dizzy view settled to reveal a cloudless sky overhead. He could not see the flying fortress and prayed the ship had not crashed as well.

Not that it mattered now.

Loki had escaped with the Tesseract still in his possession and Jane securely under his control. Thor sat up on his knees, looking up to the sky, and released a heartbreaking howl. Once his lungs had refilled with air he shouted again and again until his throat was hoarse with rage. Tears came unbidden, an unstoppable force overwhelming his defenses and masculine pride. He collapsed with slumped shoulders and calloused hands tore at his hair. The numbing feeling of utter loss combined with rage of complete betrayal had him pounding the dirt until his knuckles bled. The memory of her teary expression of love was a solid blow against his broken heart.

He promised to keep her safe but he had been played the fool by his own brother and now Jane was gone. She was enslaved by the magic of the Tesseract.

Thor stood shakily to his feet. His hands clutched into white knuckled fists and he looked up in time to see an unmarked ship zoom off through the sky, faint clouds marked its trail. Thor knew who was on that ship. He held out his hand and waited for Mjolnir to appear. With his hammer in hand, Thor took after the ship, determination and revenge guided his hand. He would find his traitorous brother and rescue his woman. Loki would not win this time.

* * *

Jane watched the movement around her through foreign eyes bathed in the same glistening blue that echoed in every other gaze around her; except for Loki's. She was following him down a case of stairs leading to a diminutive cargo hold in the belly of the stolen ship that was transporting them to whatever destination Loki had decided on. Jane cast a glance at her captor and her heart filled with such an intense hate that she had never experienced before. Loki had used the scepter to mind control her and then released his brother into the atmosphere to die. She fervently prayed that Thor had survived for if he did not she would continue to struggle against Loki's domination for as long it took until she was free to exact revenge. She could not live without Thor and if she was forced to than Loki would pay for it with his life.

In the center to the cargo hold stood a carved pillar with the illuminated Tesseract sitting upon it. Jane willed her head to look around the room, for anything she could use against her captor. She tried to ignore the ever present tingling of pain that coursed through her whenever she tried to take back control. She had to destroy it. Once the Tesseract lay in tattered shards, surely she and the others Loki had turned would be free.

As if sensing her thoughts Loki turned to regard her. Jane's eyes felon a gun lying on a nearby table. Loki followed her gaze and then back at her, watching closely. Jane screamed inside as she focused every ounce of willpower into moving her arm. She pushed at the borders of the Tesseract's control, struggling against the pain that threatened to break her.

_I can do this. I can do this. _

The fingers on her right hand began to tremble ever so slightly. The scorching fire spread through her veins and just as her hand started to move towards the gun, the pain became unbearable. She collapsed to the floor with a wild scream, and the world faded away once more.

When her eyesight returned she found Loki staring down at her in concern.

"You mustn't fight it, Jane," Loki warned. "The Tesseract is a harsh master and will destroy you if you continue to struggle against it."

Her body stood up strong as if she had not just been mentally attacked by the unstoppable force of the Tesseract. Jane wanted to scream, she had been so close to regaining her mind. Loki stood by her side, his eyes anxiously searching her face. Jane could not understand why he appeared to be worried. Surely Loki would not care if she died. Or perhaps he feared the wrath of Thor if this resulted in her death and not just mind controlled. That had to be it.

With a hand on her back Loki guided her forward, closer to the Tesseract. Inside she howled in frustration. She finally knew its location but could do nothing about it. The energy radiating off of the cube surrounded her, enveloped her in a powerful aura that attempted to overtake her completely.

"Do not resist it," Loki whispered. "Do not give up your life for a pointless struggle."

"See the truth, Jane," a familiar voice echoed down the stairs. Erik Selvig came into the room and Jane could see the Tesseract reflected in his blazed stare. "It is perfect."

She wept for the loss of her mentor and friend, though no tears came to her eyes. Any trace of the old Erik had disappeared under his mental captivity. He clasped her arm tightly and smiled.

"It will be so good to work with you again."

Jane wanted to tell him that she would never work for a sadist like Loki but her mouth responded otherwise.

"I look forward to it." She did not recognize her own voice or its traitorous words.

Erik and Loki grinned manically.

"When will we be arriving?" Erik asked their master.

"Very shortly," Loki replied. "Make sure you are ready to set up the portal as soon as we land. I have no time to spare."

Erik bowed his head. "Of course, My Lord."

Jane wanted to vomit in disgust. She watched Erik returned to his work, oblivious to their continued presence. Her head turned in Loki's direction and she heard herself ask,

"Where are we headed?"

Loki nodded in the direction of the cockpit.

"Why don't you go see for yourself?"

Jane's body carried her up the stairs to the main level of the ship. She moved towards the nearest window and peered out to see a city filled to the brink with luminous towers decorated by a smoky skyline. Jane did not recognize the city but that did not last long.

"There is our destination," Loki pointed off in the distance. She followed his direction and her heart sank at what she saw. The letters of the STARK tower stood out among the dull grey of the other buildings surrounding it. Tony was going to be furious, she thought with brief amusement. It soon faded into dread and fear. The tower was drawing ever closer and Loki would have his portal ready in no time. The ship flew closer to the world's destruction and Jane could do nothing but hope.

_Please hurry, Thor. I need you. _


	11. Chapter 11

**Okay so first off, I am very very very sorry this has taken so long. I have had a lot going on since I posted the last chapter and just have had no time for writing. Second, I changed a good portion of what happened in the movie but hopefully it still makes sense. Thank you guys for all of your patience and continued support!**

**A Promise: Ch. 11**

Jane looked over the edge of the Stark Tower roof and down onto the barely visible street bustling with miniature blobs of what she could only assume were people.

_I want to jump._

She wasn't surprised by the thought but was overwhelmed by the intensity of it. Jane's body backed away from the ledge as if reading her thoughts. The Tesseract's firm control remained tightly wound into her movements, brushing against her conscious but she continued to fight it off. The pain of its attack sat as an ever present reminder just on the border of her awareness. She wanted to fight but she could not bring herself to face that pain again.

Her legs carried her towards where the Tesseract now lay, nestled inside of some strange contraption Erik had designed. She glanced down at her mentor and felt the bile of disgust rise at the delight on his face. She had no idea whether he was fighting on the inside like she was but on the outside he looked like he was in science heaven. Loki stood on the edge overlooking the city. His back was turned to her, vulnerable and unassuming of any threat. Jane looked at Erik's side where a pistol was strapped to his belt.

_If I could reach down far enough…_

A scream ripped past her tongue and both Loki and Erik spun around to look at her. Loki shook his head and walked towards her.

"You must learn to be obedient, Jane," he warned her. "It is a far less painful master."

She did not miss the way his eyes flashed with a haunted memory that she would probably never know of. Whatever had happened to him before he arrived at Earth still lived within his soul. Jane almost felt the tugging of pity for him. He suddenly titled his head towards the sky and frowned.

"Hurry, Doctor, we are almost out of time," He instructed Erik.

"I will have it running within minutes," her old mentor confirmed and returned back to his work without so much as a second glance towards her. Loki placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Come, Jane. We must greet your cousin." The smile on his face quickly removed any trace of pity she might have had for him.

A loud crackling spark sounded from behind her and dread settled firmly in the pit of her stomach. Loki's teeth showed from behind his curled lips.

Jane was instructed to watch Loki's confrontation from behind the shadows. His only explanation was that she was a surprise for someone else. Jane watched Tony handle Loki like he would any rival or pestering journalist fighting for an interview. He was cool, confident and totally believable. But he was nothing against Loki. She raged with anger when Loki tossed her cousin out of the window but relief took over when his metal suit sped after him. He returned once more to challenge Loki but was too late. Pure energy could be seen shooting out from the Tesseract and Jane looked out the window to see a hole rapidly forming in the New York sky. Dozens upon dozens of aliens flooded through the portal and even Tony, for all his bravado, did little damage to the growing numbers. Metal speeders soared through the air, firing upon innocents and reaping havoc upon the city. Loki's clothes shimmered to reveal a golden cloak and horned crown as he walked back onto the ledge above the activated Tesseract. She wanted to follow him but her body would not cooperate. She prayed Tony had not returned for more. With the Chitauri now under his control Loki would be invincible, she did not want to lose her cousin too. But it was not Tony that landed on the tower.

"Where is she?!" A loud accented shout echoed throughout the apartment Jane was hiding in. Her heart hammered in her chest at the sound of her beloved.

_He came for me!_ She inwardly shrieked with joy, hopeful that the thunder god could release her from her invisible bonds.

"I have no idea," was Loki's snarky reply. She heard a resounding crash as Mjolnir struck him square in the chest and was sent flying backwards into the living room wall. Jane peered around the door frame to see Thor stalking towards his brother and grasped him around the throat.

"Where is she?" He growled in a low, demanding voice.

Loki's head tilted to one side, studying Thor closely.

"What will you do if I don't tell you?"

Thor's fingers clenched tighter around Loki's throat and Jane thought for a moment that he might actually kill him but Thor released him as soon as Loki's skin began to pale. He unceremoniously dropped the tyrant king to the ground. Loki's breath came out in labored pants but it soon turned into malicious laughter.

"That is what I thought."

Thor growled and Mjolnir flew into his hands.

"Then I will destroy the Tesseract." He spun towards the shattered remains of the door.

"You cannot!" Loki shouted at him. "There is no stopping it now. And even if you could destroy the Tesseract, it would not release your precious woman."

Thor turned slowly back towards his brother, hammer gripped tightly in his fists.

"Then I will end you," he whispered dangerously.

Loki stood with his scepter hanging lazily by his side.

"You could try," Loki replied and panic flooded her body when his piercing green eyes landed on her. "But I don't think _she_ would let you."

She struggled and raved against the Master as her legs moved forward inch by inch. Thor's gaze fell on her and she could see the tears rush to his grief stricken eyes. She wanted to run to him, to hold him, anything but whatever evil Loki had planned for her. Thor whispered her name and took a step towards her but stopped once Loki raised the scepter. He held it outstretched and Jane gasped in horror as her hand reached out to take it.

"He is all yours," Loki murmured and began moving towards the balcony. Jane's hand gripped the scepter tightly and it slowly moved to aim at Thor. She sobbed silent, unshed tears at her lover's reaction. Thor took a step back in shock and raised his hands in peace.

"Jane, I know you are in there; don't do this."

"Do it, Jane!" Loki commanded. In an instant Thor turned and hurled Mjolnir at Loki, sending his brother flying off the roof onto a passing speeder; at the same time Jane fired the scepter hitting Thor in the chest and pushing him onto the balcony.

"_No!" _She wailed, but no one could hear her cry. Her face remained tight and expressionless. She followed Thor onto the ledge, scepter still aimed at its target. Thor groaned loudly as he stood to his feet, the tears now created clean trails on his dirt marked face.

"Jane, please," he whispered, voice laden with pain. "Fight it, Jane, fight it."

She heaved with determination and she began the inner battle against the Tesseract. Her mind struggled against the domination, slowly pushing it back. She railed against the onslaught of pain sweeping throughout her body; sharp stings of pressure pushed at her senses. Her arms raised and fired again, missing just enough to send him to his knees without any significant damage. Unsatisfied, the Tesseract urged her into a run and she swung the scepter, the sharp blade aimed at his head. He ducked and spun on his heels, moving with far quicker reflexes than she would ever possess. He grasped the scepter and used his strength to hold it and her in place.

"Jane!" He yelled, his blue orbs, so comfortingly familiar, peered into hers, willing her to listen. She gazed into his depths and felt the Tesseract begin to recede.

"Yes, Jane. Fight it for me." He reached up with one hand to caress her cheek. The Tesseract raged inside her, unwilling to release its slave, and with a sudden surge of energy she pushed against Thor. He stumbled backwards in surprise and with a shout she pushed again, sending him flying over the ledge.

He screamed her name as he fell.

Jane toppled to the ground with an anguished cry, the pain finally overtaking her as she watched her beloved fall to his death. Unconsciousness took her before she could see Mjolnir zooming past.

* * *

Thor took hold of Mjolnir in mid fall and used the hammer to ease him into flight. He started to head back towards the tower but Tony Stark flying past caught his eye. Metal Man landed on the ground amidst Fury's fighting Avengers, completely surrounded by Chitauri soldiers. Thor raised Mjolnir high and summoned his power. Lightening crackled around him and he aimed it at the unaware enemy. The aliens sizzled and fried before dropping to the ground as charred corpses. Thor landed in the group next to Tony.

"Glad you could finally join us."

Thor shook his head and readied Mjolnir for flight once more.

"I must get back up there," Thor told Jane's cousin. "Loki has Jane still under his spell."

Before he could move Tony grasped his arm and halted him.

"I know, but there is nothing you can do for her until this war is ended," Tony reasoned. Thor growled and Tony released his arm. "Look, she is my family and I want nothing more than to pummel Loki into millions of pieces but we must stop the Chitauri first or it will not matter if we get back to Jane."

Thor stared at the man for a long moment before finally nodding in assent. He did not want to leave her up there alone but he knew that she would just keep attacking him if he returned to her now. The pang in his chest did not lesson with this acknowledgement however and he resolved to end the conflict swiftly.

"We must hurry," he insisted and the rest murmured their agreements.

"What is the story upstairs?" Steve asked him.

"The power surrounding the cube is impenetrable," he answered roughly. "There is no reaching it through any conventional means."

"Thor is right," Tony concurred. "We need to focus on these guys first."

"So how do we do this?" Natasha chimed in.

"As a team," Steve answered. "Loki is going to keep this fight focused on us ad that's what we need. Without him these things could run wild. We got Stark up top and I went you, Barton covering him."

Clint nodded. "I could use a ride," he said and looked at Thor.

"I can try to keep more from coming in from up there," Thor spoke and pointed towards the tallest building he could see.

"Sounds good," Steve replied. He was about to continue when the sound of a humming motor approached them. They all turned to see Bruce Banner ride up.

"So," the doctor greeted calmly. "This all seems horrible."

"Suit up, Banner," Tony ordered as he looked up at the sky and the monstrous machine coming their way. "The party is coming to you."

Thor raised Mjolnir and moved into a readied stance as the others backed up.

"I don't see how that's a party." He heard Natasha mumble under her breath.

"Doctor," Steve stepped forward. "Now might be a really good time to get angry."

Bruce smiled sadly. "See that's my secret." He turned and outstretched his arms. "I am _always _angry."

His body rippled green and grew massive in size. He held out his fists and the monstrous machine collided with the Hulk. Thor watched in amazement as the machine crashed into the giant green fists and fell to the ground in a resounding thud. Clouds of debris scattered across the air. The sounds of screeching Chitauri filled the sky and each of the team turned their gazes to Steve.

"Alright guys, let's end this."

Thor took Barton's arm and flew him to his requested perch before moving to the building he had pointed at earlier. Once more lightening came to his fingertips as the sky blackened around the portal. Thunder roared and he shouted with a grunt of power as he shot all of his strength at the enemies speeding through the portal. He hummed in satisfaction as he watched dozens of explosions dance across the atmosphere.

* * *

Jane awoke to the sight of snarling speeders zooming past her.

"What have we done, Jane?" A soft voice asked her. She looked over to see Erik Selvig sitting on the ground, his now clear eyes filled with horror.

She tried to speak but her mouth would not move. Erik turned his gaze back to her and his mouth opened wide.

"Oh Jane, no," he whispered and sobbed into his hands. "What have I done?"

Explosions sounded all around them.

_No. I will not go down like this. _

"The scepter, it can end this," she heard Erik mumble behind her. Jane looked over her shoulder at where the scepter was laying behind her.

_I can do this!_

She tried to stand but the Tesseract weighed down on her. Jane willed and fought and soon she was on her elbows and knees edging towards the scepter. Pain gripped her once more but she refused to give in. The image of Thor falling to the ground fueled her forward. She reached the scepter and stood shakily to her feet.

"Jane?" Erik scooted closer.

She growled in agony but kept pressing forward.

"The crown," Erik shouted at her. "Put it in the crown."

Jane reached forward, unable to take another step. Her arms felt like they weighed a ton each. Her nerves were on fire and her vision blurred. But she reached with all her might and inch by inch the scepter eased into the containment shield. It reached the center of the Tesseract and a loud hiss escaped before the beam dissipated. The sound of crackling energy grew louder and Erik screamed at her to run but she had no more will to use. She looked up to the sky to see the portal slowly closing around the dying screams of the enemy as they all fell silent around the city. It was the last thing Jane saw before shield exploded.

* * *

Thor groaned from the aching of his body as he and Steve fought side by side, battling against the onslaught. He slung Mjolnir back and forth, rampaging against the Chitauri. Steve was knocked down to the ground next to him and Thor cleared the area before bending down to help his new friend up.

"Thanks," Steve groaned his appreciation.

"Ready for another bout?" Thor asked him.

Steve smiled wearily. "Are you getting sleepy?"

Another Chitauri squad approached them but did not get far. They shrieked before falling to the ground, lifeless. Thor and Steve looked at each other in surprise and looked up towards the portal only to find it closing in.

"The portal is closing!" Tony's voice echoed in their ears.

Thor sighed in relief and clapped Steve's shoulder heartily.

"Only one more thing to do."

Steve nodded before Thor picked him up and they sped off towards the tower. The rest of the group arrived seconds later to find the Hulk grinning with a beaten Loki in his grasp. The others moved towards Loki but Thor's sight was focused on finding Jane. He spun around, frantic when he could not find her.

"Thor!" A familiar voice cried out and he saw Erik Selvig walking towards them, a limp Jane held tightly in his arms. Thor rushed over to Erik, fear gripping his heart in a tightly bound clasp. He took Jane into his hold and fell down onto his knees. His trembling fingers brushed her mussed hair out of her face so he could see the trail of blood flowing from the large cut on her forehead. He could not feel her breathing.

"What have you done to her?!" He snarled at Loki, hatred pure and unadulterated filled his voice. Loki shook his head mutely, and Thor could tell Loki had no idea what had happened to Jane. Not that it stopped him from despising his adopted brother. He snapped his glare away from Loki and turned back to the battered body of the woman he cared for laying in his arms.

"Jane, please wake up, please." He shook her gently but she made no move. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Tony approaching. Metal Man dropped his mask to the floor and collapsed to his knees. Thor shook inwardly as a sob rose in his chest. He stroked her soft skin laden with blood and bent his head to kiss her cheek.

"Jane, please don't leave me," he whispered, past caring if the others heard him. "I do not want to live without you. I love you, Jane." The admittance felt hollow with her unresponsive. "I love you. Please come back to me."

He lowered his face to the crook of her neck and let the tears shed, hidden from the view of his teammates. He held her tightly to him, unwilling to let go, to give up.

"Say it again," a soft, muffled voice danced in his ear. He shot up and peered down at a smiling, brown-eyed Jane gazing up at him. "Say it again," she repeated as her fingers shakily brushed through his hair.

_She is alive!_

He smiled with a heart ready to burst in joy. "I love you," he said and bent down to capture her lips with his.


	12. Chapter 12

**Okay so there is A LOT of fluff in this one. Sex scenes are not really my thing but I still wanted to capture something important in Jane and Thor's relationship so I did my best. I hope you all enjoy. **

**A side note: This is not the last chapter, I will be continuing the story into the second Thor movie...as soon as I see it lol. I will be writing some fill in chapters to connect the two parts in the meantime. Thank you guys for all the reviews/favs/follows! It is such an encouragement for me. Please feel free to give any ideas to things you would like to see happen in part two of the story, I would love to hear them!**

**A Promise: Ch. 12**

The Avengers reunited with their floating fortress, the prisoner Loki now firmly in tow. Thor did not let Jane leave his side during the entirety of the flight. But once aboard the ship Jane was pulled out of his arms and rushed off to be examined by medical personnel. She had suffered serious head trauma and they wanted to ensure that there was no lasting damage. The doctor assured him that she would be fine but that did not stop Thor from worrying. Jane kissed him softly, a sweet promise on her lips.

"I will see you soon," she whispered into his ear before she was ushered down the hall.

That had been several hours ago and Thor had seen no sign of her since. The crew was immersed in the battle-victory celebrations and Thor moved with some difficulty through the throngs of partiers. At great length he made his way to the lounge where the Avengers were resting and drinking merrily.

"Thor!" Banner raised his mug in an uncharacteristically enthusiastic greeting upon seeing him. "Come join us!"

Thor smiled briefly at the reserved doctor's drunken manner.

"Yes," Tony chimed in and jumped out of his chair. "Wipe that brooding look off your face and have a drink with us."

Metal Man shoved an unfamiliar beverage into his hand and clapped Thor on the back.

"To the Avengers!" Tony raised his glass high and the others followed suit. "May we never have to save Manhattan again."

"Aye, aye," came the echoing answer as glasses clinked in unison. Tony bumped his glass to Thor's and each man watched the other as they chugged their respective drinks. Thor knew little of Earth customs but this was one he excelled at. Tony swallowed then released a loud belch and laughed at his own antics. Thor shook his head in amusement. He started to speak but Tony stopped him.

"You're looking for Jane, right?"

Thor nodded.

"Yes, I cannot find her."

"Well, she is just fine. The doctor said there was no permanent damage but she will have a scar on her forehead from the impact."

That did not surprise him; he had seen her wound. It was a miracle that she survived at all.

"Where is she now?"

"Oh, she said the noise was giving her a headache so she went to rest in her room. If I saw you I was to let you know."

Thor smiled and placed his glass down with a clink.

"Thank you, Tony."

Tony smiled back, his eyes twinkled.

"Sure thing, lover boy."

Tony watched Thor disappear from the room before pulling out his cell.

"Yeah, he's on his way up. You owe me."

* * *

Thor strolled through the door as quiet as he could despite his boots thumping against the floor. He expected to see Jane resting on the bed but she was nowhere in sight. Thor spun about, confused.

_Tony said she would be here._

The bathroom door slid open and Thor plopped on the bed stunned.

"Oh…"

Jane appeared in the doorway. Her luscious brown hair cascaded around her shoulders, slightly damp from a recent shower. Water droplets draped across her forehead and neck line. Thor swallowed loudly as his eyes traveled down past her hair to the silky, white and _irresistibly _short robe loosely tied around her lithe form. Her tan legs appeared longer than they really were; curvaceous thighs led back up to the ample swell of hips. His mouth went dry. He forced his eyes to return to her face and was pleasantly surprised to see a rosy blush on her cheeks. Though it was apparent her choice in attire was intentional he could tell she was nervous.

"Jane…" he murmured in a deep rasp and held out a hand to her. She slowly stepped over to him and placed her delicate hand in his. Her other hand wrapped around his neck as she stepped into the valley between his thighs.

"What are you doing?" He whispered, voice laced with tension.

Her fingers played with the strands of his golden locks, her eyes were downcast.

"You are leaving tomorrow," she spoke after a while. "I just want one night with you. It might be our only chance," she finished sadly.

"Do not speak of such things," he insisted. "I love you and I could not stay away from you even if all the fares of the universe tried to conspire against us."

"You were gone for so long last time. I don't want to lose this opportunity."

"There will be other opportunities." Thor intertwined their fingers and smiled up at her only to find a pained frown on her beautiful lips.

"I understand. You do not want me in that way."

Startled, Thor did not reply until she started to move away, in an attempt to hide the tears.

"That is not what I meant, Jane." He tugged on their still joined hands and pulled her back into his arms. "I simply do not want you to be with me only for fear we will never see each other again."

"But I do want you," she argued. "For more reasons than that."

"And I want you," Thor replied smoothly. He traced the smooth skin of her exposed thigh. "For more than one night."

"Really?" She seemed happily surprised.

"Yes, Jane. I told you I love you and I do not say those words lightly. I have never said that to another before and…I hope I will never have to."

Her eyes widened.

"Thor…"

"Jane you are my light, my heart. I may have to leave tomorrow but I will come back to you, if you will have me. I want us to be together."

"Completely?" She asked in delight.

"Exclusively," he corrected. "If I have you, I will share you with no other man."

She started to answer but he hushed her quickly.

"You must understand what that means before you answer." His smile turned bitter. "I do not know how long I will be gone this time. It might be months, or another year, or even longer. I am a prince to my people; I have a responsibility to them. But I am also a man of my word. If you will have me then my heart will be forever yours. Every free moment I have will be yours. I cannot promise to be here often but when I am here, it will be spent with you."

Jane remained quiet for a long, tense moment. She was not one to rush into any decision much less one this important. Thor wanted nothing more than for he to say yes, to be with him but to do so would mean her life would be that much more difficult. If she chose to break away now it would probably destroy him but he would at least understand. She skimmed her fingertips over his jaw line, her expression one of adoration. When she finally spoke his breath caught in his throat.

"I knew nothing but heartbreak before I met you," she started, quiet and calm. "The year we spent apart was more painful than anything I have ever been through."

He nodded, silently devastated and lowered his eyes to the floor. He felt her fingers under his chin, tilting his face back up to meet hers. Her lips quirked up in the brightest smile he had ever seen.

"But it is a pain I will happily endure if it means that I will have your love and your heart for you will always hold mine."

Thor was overjoyed and no words could express the soaring bliss that filled him. He pulled her down to him and crashed his lips to hers.

Passion overcame them both and she moaned as their tongues clashed. A low growl escaped him at the sound and he wrapped his arms underneath her hips, lifting her easily into the air. He moved them onto the center of the bed and settled her down into the luxurious comforter with his body firmly draped over hers.

The night was spent in a torrent of love and desire as they learned and explored each other, memorizing touches and emotions for recall during the lonely nights ahead of them. He whispered sweet nothings into her ear, taking in her cries and pants of his name with every thrust of his body. His heart clenched, overwhelmed by the emotions he felt for the woman beneath him. His words had been true to her earlier. Love was a word he had never used before and now he understood why. Jane was the one, the woman he had dreamed of and longed for his entire life. He would do whatever it took to keep her in his life.

They eventually drifted off to sleep, exhausted from their continuous love making and weary from the battle which led them to this moment. He pulled her close into his body, content and happiness washed over him as her sweet name rested on his lips for the rest of the night.


End file.
